The Future for the Demigods
by PercyJacksonluvr180203
Summary: Annabeth and Percy had kids. So did Piper and Jason. Hazel and Frank no exception. Join 15-year-old Toni Jackson and Ajax Grace as they learn more about the world - riding their emotional rollercoasters to the climax. T for future scenes.
1. I have eating competitions with my BFF

Hey everyone! Toni here, Toni Jackson. You don't know me? Oh well. This story is to tell you...no, I'm not giving any spoilers. Just read, to find out.

"For the love of Hades, put something _nice _on!" Olivia begged me. My sister has this thing about guests. Whenever guests come round, the house has to be _immaculate_. Mom's the same. I swear, they must be OCD or something **(no offense to any OCD people here)**. I thought I looked perfectly fine in my grey hoodie and trackies, so I ignored her and walked out the room, just as the bell rang. It was the Graces.

Auntie Piper, Uncle Jason and Ruben were dressed nicely, but like me, AJ clearly hadn't made an effort. Note: AJ is my best friend, and always will be. We only disagree on one thing – I think his girlfriend is a _female dog _**(I hate swearing)**, but he likes her. But yeah, we're inseparable. I politely ushered the Graces in, greeting all of them with a smile, except AJ, whom I punched in the arm. He punched me back, and then he did a complicated handshake that confuses everyone except us.

"How have you been since the last 2 hours I saw you?" I asked jokingly.

"Good, good. You?"

"Oh, the usual. Olivia begging me to wear something nice or brush my hair." I fingered my dark curls distastefully. I _hate_ my curls. I was they were straight. But, annoyed with the subject of looks, we switched the topic to school. We down-talked all the students except our friends until the door rang _again._

"I'll get it!" Olivia cried, jumping up. She fluffed her hair and almost ran to the door. Unsurprisingly, there stood the Zhangs. Auntie Hazel, Uncle Frank and Harvey smiled at us nervously. "We late?"

"Nah, right on time mate." Dad called from the kitchen. "It's Leo who's late."

"Again." Everyone added under their breath.

20 minutes later, Uncle Leo arrived, with his latest girlfriend, Lola. She's been with him longer than the others – 2 weeks or so. Yes, Leo is a player. Uh huh. Anyway, since he was the last guest, food was served (finally, I was ravenous), so we ate. Well, some of us did. Daniel and Luke started playing tricks on people (one good reason not to let the Stolls babysit) , Harvey and Olivia put themselves in lip-lock, and AJ and I were having a competition – who can eat the most the fastest. Naturally, I won. (Thanks dad, for that amazing ability. (I'm not being sarcastic)) We started making small talk, which was boring. ("Ooh, hows the jewellery shop, Hazel." "That necklace is stunning, Piper." "Things good your end?") But eventually, plates were cleared, belts were loosened, and glasses were drained. But as everyone left, I was hit with a horrible realisation. _It was Sunday_. Meaning tomorrow was...MONDAY! I hadn't done any homework...as usual. Grandma Sally always tells me off, but I'm cool with it. So, I went to sleep.

*dreaming*

_I was running up Half-Blood Hill. "Come on AJ!" I shrieked, and grabbed his hand. The monster was closing in. It growled. Its hideous face was dripping mucus and blood. I saw AJ getting slower. His agility was running out. I saw the monster charge, spear in hand. "NO!" I screamed. I lunged and luckily blocked the attack. With my body. I saw scarlet blood oozing from my chest, my breath slowing, my eyelids closing. The last thing I heard was AJ, screaming my name._

I sat up, gasping. Sunlight was streaming through the curtains. Olivia looked at me concernedly. (Yes, we share a room) "You were screaming and writhing in your sleep." She told me, with wide, yet wise grey eyes. I slowed my rapid breathing.

"It was nothing," I lied, "Just...nothing." It was clearOlivia didn't believe me, but she didn't question me.

I speed-dressed and grabbed a piece of fruit from the kitchen, like always. Then I dashed out the door.

I must have looked bad to outsiders; a fifteen-year old girl rushing to school because she's late, hair unbrushed and flapping, school blazer sleeves rolled up and tie doodled on. Not to mention my bag, which had all my friends names scribbled on it. I was just entering the building when the bell rang, signalling the start of lesson. Oh gods, I thought. I sped down the halls, ignoring the angry teachers yelling at me. Beckham High is supposedly a good school, but when you've got problems like me (ADHD, dyslexia, etc) it's the worst school in the universe. I skidded into my classroom and sat down, breathless.

Mr Gabe, our history teacher, looked at me sternly. "Late again, Toni?" He reprimanded. I sighed.

"You should learn to expect it, sir. I'm never on time." Cue the sniggers from the class.

Mr Gabe breathed heavily. "_Sit down. Now. And pull your sleeves down!_" I figured I'd rather go home _on _time rather than in detention, and with only 1 ton of homework and not 2, so I sat down, blatantly refusing to roll my sleeves down, and loosening my tie to annoy him. He ignored me. I was given an exam booklet, and thought _Gods dammit! _Until I saw the front cover. Greek and Roman Mythology.

I locked eyes with AJ over the other side of the classroom. He grinned at me foolishly. I rolled my eyes.

I studied my test.

_Q1. Which god and goddess have a rivalry and why? (2 marks)_

I nearly laughed out loud. My parents had told me that one so many times, I could have answered it in my sleep. My only problem now was writing the answer. Dyslexia. Gods, I hate the word.

XXXXXXXXXX Time warp – Lunchtime XXXXXXXXXX

I left class and headed to my locker, only to be ambushed. It was the one and only, Sienna Tanaka (Drew's kid). She wrinkled her nose at me. "Ugh, here." She handed me a small card and ran off. I walked over to AJ, who also had a card, and we headed to the cafeteria.

I opened the card. In fancy scripting (godsdammit) it said:

_Sienna Tanaka is having a party! This Saturday, 34 Pine Lane. Everyone's invited. Be there or be square!_

I snorted. I'd rather be square.

"Shall we go, for a laugh?" AJ suggested. I looked at him.

"Yes." I replied immediately. Don't snigger at my sudden change. AJ is my best friend. I'll do anything for him. I can't let him go to that tart's party alone; he'll never make it out alive.

I grabbed my tray of food and dug in ravenously. One of my friends, a mortal named Sarah, stared at me mockingly.

"Hungry?" She asked. I smiled at her.

"I'm always hungry." We laughed and carried on eating. Dang, I eat a lot. It's a wonder I'm not fat. No, it's not. I work out. Argh! I'm so bipolar! Oh well.

XXXXXXXXXX Time warp – After school, at home XXXXXXXXXX

I waited for AJ to call on me. He comes to our door, and we head out with the gang (I'm the only girl) to wherever we feel like. I'm usually home an hour later than expected, but Dad's cool with it. He just tells Mom that I was meant to be back that time. Pfft, parents. Anyway, when there was a knock at the door, I wasn't expecting AJ to be crying.

**Haha, I'm not telling you why! Yet. I'm not gonna tell you unless you review, and the whole story revolves around the reason why he's crying, so...review.**

**OOH! I forgot something! If you're in love with either Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson, Jake Abel or Josh Hutcherson, put their name at the end of your review. If not, put the name of your celebrity crush. Byes! **


	2. Cry me a river, build me a bridge

**So, I didn't get any reviews. But I can't keep you waiting!**

I stared at AJ. "You're crying." I said stupidly. Blame my dad, he's the dumb one! Anyway, AJ smiled through his tears.

"Duh." I laughed at him uneasily then frowned.

"What happened?" I asked. He slumped his shoulders.

"Megan broke up with me."

"Oh." I didn't comfort him. I hated Megan, I always had. She was a little-miss-perfect, a flirt, and, quite frankly, an airhead. I thought she'd two-time him for a while, but no, straight to the point. It was easy to rid my face of emotion, because I felt none towards my sobbing friend.

"Aren't you gonna comfort me?" AJ asked. I shook my head.

"I _told_ you she'd break up with you. I _called _it. But you ignored me." I told him tartly.

"You know, the reason I came here is to see my best friend. Friends are always there for each other. Why aren't you?" He asked rudely. He'd stopped crying but he looked wounded.

"I've always been there for you AJ. You just never realised it." I said quietly. AJ rolled his eyes. (Uh uh, that's _my_ thing, AJ. _I'm_ the eye-roller here)

"Right." He stormed away angrily.

I yelled after him, "AND STAY OUT!"

It's an hour later, and AJ still hasn't come calling back. I'm (dare I say it) slightly...worried about the idiot. Auntie Piper text and said he'd gone out and hadn't come back since he yelled at me. I looked around. Olivia was out, probably with Harvey. I grabbed my boots and snuck past my parents, quiet as a mouse. They luckily didn't hear me – they were watching a movie, the _Titanic_ I think. I was just getting my key out of my pocket when Dan and Luke appeared out of nowhere. They grinned identically. "Where are you going, then?" They asked.

I groaned internally. "Out."

"Oh yeah?" They smirked the trademark smirk.

"Sh!" I hissed, pointing to mom and dad. "Be quiet!"

Dan and Luke exchanged a look. "This is golden! You're sneaking out?"

I growled, frustrated. They let me pass, so I stepped outside into the cold winter air of New York.

The frosty wind stung my face. It was starting to snow lightly. It looked pretty, but each flake was like icy daggers on my bare skin. I forgot to wear a coat, and I was bitterly regretting it. "AJ!" I yelled desperately. "AJ, WHERE ARE YOU? COME BACK!" My voice was simply carried away by the wind. I scanned the streets quickly. Out of the corner of my eyes I noticed an alleyway. There's hundreds in Manhattan. But this one, about 100ft away, had AJ and some monsters down it. I took off.

AJ didn't see me coming. Of course, he was too focused on the monsters. _Manticores, _I thought grimly. Three of them, their ugly faces leering at AJ. They shot spikes and whacked him with their thorny tails. I sprang into action. I tackled the first one and stabbed it from behind. The second one, who seemed dazed after my attack, was easy game. I kicked him in the head hard in my combat boots, and he crumbled to dust. The third one ran away. AJ looked up to see his rescuer. He opened his mouth as if to utter a thank you. "Don't bothering thanking me." I spat. "I was never there for you." He sighed heavily.

"I'm sorry! I was a fool. I should have listened to you. What I said was mean, you were always there for me. Every time I had a problem. I leant on you when I needed help. You were always right beside me. I just never realised it." I was kinda touched by that little heartfelt speech. He noticed me shivering.

"Gods, Toni. You didn't put a coat on?! It's the middle of February!" He exclaimed, staring at me. I laughed weakly, rubbing my red arms.

"Hey, I was panicking!" I retorted. The smile slid off AJ's face. His features contorted guiltily – his nose wrinkled, and his eyebrows scrunched together. It looked kinda cute –

WAIT WHAT. DID. I. JUST. SERIOUSLY. PUT. THAT. I. NEED. AN. ERASER. AND. A. KNIFE. TO. STAB. APHRODITE. WITH. She's messing with my thoughts. Gah! Oh well.

I went home with AJ, walking him right to his door in case he "got into trouble again" and needed his butt saving. Just as we stood outside his door he stopped.

He rubbed the back of his neck self-consciously. "Hey, um, Toni..."


	3. Sexual tension ruins everything (sorta)

**ANOTHER CHAPTER! OH MY GODS! WOW! Yeah, I'm getting a little over-excited. Oh well. Please leave **_**reviews**_**.**

"Yes?" I whispered. AJ looked down.

"Do you maybe want to...go to the party with me?" He asked. I looked at him.

"We're already going together, right?"

"No...I mean, go _together_." He stated. He looked away awkwardly. My heart fluttered softly.

"I'd like that," I replied softly, blushing. He gave a small smile and walked inside his house. I walked home, thinking of AJ the whole time. What a day.

* * *

><p>I slipped inside my house really quietly. I brushed the snowflakes off of my bare arms and off of my hair. I tiptoed past the living-room. The clock read <em>11:00<em>. Phew, my parents were in bed. I crept to my room silently. The first thing I noticed – Olivia was awake, and looked absolutely terrified. Then, I realised we weren't alone. My mom and dad were glaring at me in fury as I walked in. And, worst of all, Dan and Luke were in there too, trying to look sarcastic but with panic clear in their eyes. I pressed my back against the wall guiltily. "Um, hi guys."

Mom glared at me. "SNEAKING OUT!" she shrieked. "NO NOTE! BED EMPTY! KNIFE GONE!" **(Molly Weasley moment!)** I trembled under her furious grey gaze. Olivia jumped out of bed, ran towards me and hugged me tight.

"Don't, mom!" She cried. "At least she's safe!" I shivered in her arms. Dad turned to me sorrowfully.

"We were so worried, babe. Where did you go?"

"Um...I had to post a letter, and I got lost on the way home."

Mom and dad left the room. Dan and Luke turned to me, looking impressed. "Good lie. What really happened?"

I collapsed onto my bed and turned over on my side, trying to make it seem like I didn't wanna talk. Secretly, I was bursting. As Dan and Luke reluctantly left, Olivia interrogated me. She was my sister. I couldn't keep it from her. I told her about the quarrel, and the fight, and me saving his butt (again). Then I told her about me walking him home...and the exciting part. "And he asked if I wanted to go to the party with him! As in _with_ him!" I finished. Olivia grinned.

"Finally!" She sighed. "The sexual tension between you two was unbearable."

"Sexual tension?" I questioned.

Olivia merely smiled. I rolled over, and fell asleep.

**Sorry for the disappointment. This was just a filler chapter.**


	4. Can a girl and a guy be best friends?

I stood at the door awkwardly, waiting for AJ to come. I'd braided my hair into a fishtail, but loose stands of it were curling softly round my face. I was wearing a hot-pink tee, black skinny jeans and pink converse, looking proper retro. I looked in the mirror, surprised at myself. I didn't see Toni Jackson, the everyday, tomboy side. No, I saw Toni Jackson, the _feminine _side. I heard a knock at the door, and almost ran to get it.

There he was. My best friend. AJ. He looked _amazing_. He was wearing a black polo shirt and jeans, but they were smarter than his usual attire. His floppy brown hair was in his face, his fringe sloping across his forehead. I smiled at him.

"Ready to go?" He asked me. "Oh, and mom wanted me to ask if you wanna sleep over ours tonight."

I know what you're thinking, you creepy twisted freaky perverts. I've slept round his since I was four. So I nodded. "Let's go." We walked to the elevator, where there was a few people standing in there. AJ and I locked eyes, doing one of our tricks to freak people out. Simultaneously, we backed away from the people, declaring, "You're one of them!" Oh, the funny looks we got.

Now where was I? Oh yeah, right. AJ led me to his car. His _car_. I didn't know he had a car! It was an expensive one too – only a bloody Porsche! Well, when your mom is a kleptomaniac charmspeaker...and you inherit the gift...Wow. I climbed in the passenger side whilst AJ drove his swanky new car to Sienna's. As much as I hate the girl, well, at least I had AJ.

Music was blaring from..._speakers?_ They'd really gone all out on this. Streamers hung from the front door. I rolled my eyes to AJ (I seem to be doing that a lot) as we stepped inside. It was like a mass of bodies dancing everywhere and bowls of punch and stuff like that. I'm not really into parties. But then I saw a golden opportunity. A girl stood chatting with her friends, about 10 metres away. She had light orange hair pulled into a bun with little stands coming out of it. She was wearing a belly-top and a miniskirt, looking a proper tart. Not to mention the makeup – eyebrows thickly drawn on, fake eyelashes, bright lipstick. I stormed up to her. "MEGAN!" I yelled. She turned to me. I punched her in the nose, hard, until I heard the satisfying _crack_ of her nose breaking. She stared at me angrily. "What the ****!" She swore. I breathed heavily. "That was for AJ!" AJ thumped his head against the wall, muttering 'idiot'. I laughed. AJ took my arm and dragged me around, until we spotted our friends.

I'll give you a not-so-short description of them. There's Sarah, a freckly ginger girl, Mike, the blond surfer dude, Jake, the curly-haired one, Logan, the one-with-the-side-fringe (he does hair-flips, so awesome), Jamie, the brunette and Logan's girlfriend, Toby, the weird one and Julius and Julia, the prankster twins. We all socialized (duh) and joked around together as the music blared. Then..._We can't stop_ came on. I locked eyes with AJ and grinned. He smirked at me handsomel – NOTHING. If someone reads this journal now, I'm DEAD. Anyways... our dancing is fit. Twerking, moonwalks, the whole package.

We snuck out. Me and AJ. The party was getting boring – the punch was spiked, the music was on a loop and everyone was getting hammered. No thanks. So we wandered round the streets of Manhattan aimlessly, chatting. It was strangely nice to be alone. I mean, we're always accompanied by the gang. But now, here, was so much nicer. Yet there was tension too. None of us really wanted to bring up the party because of Megan. I tapped my foot on the pavement **(?)** as we walked. I finally managed to make out the faint outline of his house. I pointed to it, as AJ was clearly oblivious that we were already at his home. I dragged him slowly towards it and knocked on the door (the idiot had forgot his keys). Auntie Piper answered. "You're home early!" She remarked, letting us in. AJ smiled at his laid-back mom (if only my mom was like that). "Yeah, we ditched the party."

"_Really?_" I commented. "I thought we were still there."

Auntie Piper smiled at me. "You're just as sarcastic as your dad was." She told me. I raised an eyebrow.

"Uh, thanks?" I tried. Auntie Piper waved it off and invited us in, welcoming us with warm blankets, hot chocolate and a crackling fire. I took all of this gratefully and snuggled up on the couch, watching old Disney movies. It was bliss. There was a sentimental air about us. I felt my eyes droop, and I leant on AJ as I drifted into the treacherous world of sleep.

Can a girl and a guy be best friends? Sure.


	5. Did I just crash the jeep?

I woke up to sunlight streaming blindingly into my eyes. I hissed and ducked under the blanket. I heard AJ laugh from over by the curtains.

"Morning Dracula," He snickered. I groaned in response. I'm _not_ a morning person, by any standards. This is why he wakes me up like this, or texts me at 5:00am. I hate him sometimes.

"Get up you lazy..." AJ nagged. I swear on the River Styx, if he does what I think he's gonna do –

"ARGH!" AJ ripped the blanket off me, and blasts of cold air hit me. Glaring at him, I stretched and yawned unattractively and felt a crick in my neck.

"Ow! How'd I get this?" I asked, massaging it. AJ snorted.

"You fell asleep on me, and I didn't want you to wake up so I stayed still." He answered simply. I tried to roll my eyes, but secretly I thought it was kinda

OK ENOUGH! STOP TALKING NOW. YOU'RE GOING TO EMBARRASS YOURSELF.

Ok, so I stumbled out of the warmth, cursing AJ under my breath, though I'm sure he could hear me. By the looks of things, he thought I was quite amusing with all these dirty curses, some of which my dad would have told me to wash my mouth out with soap. After getting dressed and doing all the boring stuffs, I started towards the door. I'd promised to get back by lunch, and right now, I was in the doghouse. I didn't really want to make it any worse.

"Where you going?" AJ asked, noticing me. Damn, he looked fine –

Back to the story. "Home," I answered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it sorta was.

"Stay." AJ pleaded, looking like a lost puppy. He almost made me change my mind.

"Walk me home?" I compromised. He nodded, grinning as if he'd won.

The walk home was awkward. Like, aca-awkward. I mean, it's Saturday, so half of the year-group were out shopping, as usual. They saw us walking out of the same house, at the same time. I bet it didn't look good. But we managed to survive it. Luckily.

As I stepped inside, I noticed the apartment was empty. I beckoned AJ in and looked around. Finally I spotted a note on the fridge. Dad had obviously written it, because it was awful.

_Toni and AJ, if you're there,_

_You may or may not have noticed the fact that everyone is missing. We're at camp, so is Piper and Jason. We thought you might wanna travel on your own, have some BFF time and get a taxi. As you can tell, your mom told me to write that. But if you want (she can't see what I'm writing hehe) take the Jeep. Either of you can drive it, get a bit of practise. I know it's illegal, but...who cares? Don't worry if you can't drive, the Jeep's seen better days; smash it up if you really want. Don't try to though, you n00bs._

_See you there,_

_THE AWESOMEST DAD EVER x_

I sighed, choking on my poorly-hidden laughs. AJ was nodding, like he agreed that my dad was awesome. I didn't, but I didn't dispute the fact that he is pretty funny. I grabbed the keys from the table, grinning.

"I'm driving." I stated. Seeing my face, AJ knew he didn't have a choice. We eyed each other, reading our thoughts perfectly.

And by that I mean we both jumped into the Jeep, cranked up the music and blasted it loudly in the car, singing along, wildly out of tune. But then came our downfall, as usual. We were cruising down an empty lane, singing still, until _IT_ came on. AC/DC. The Highway to Hell.

I feel sorry for the forest animals. I'm pretty sure Artemis hates me now. And the neighbours. I bet they do too. Because this is all they could hear.

"I'M ON THE HIGHWAY TO HELL!"

"SCREW THIS! HIGHWAY TO HELL!"

"WOO!"

Hmm. No regrets. Except this one.

CRASH!

I blinked. The speedometer read 90. Oops. I was in a tree. No, literally. The Jeep had crashed into a tree. Pain drilled its way into my head like a power tool. I groaned, pressing a finger to my hairline.

"Toni, you alright?" A muffled voice called. AJ. Oh, he was ok! But I wasn't. He peered over at me.

"Ooh, ooh, ooh, don't touch your head." He cautioned. I looked at my fingers. They were covered in blood.

We struggled out and started to walk, when an ominous growl came from behind. I looked forwards – we were less than a quarter of a mile from camp. I could see the barrier.

"RUN!" I screamed. AJ behind me, we sprinted away, with an unidentified foul ogre following us. Its skin was pockmarked and sickly green. It was fat but fast. It's fists pounded the jeep into a square. I gulped, and picked up the pace.

"COME ON AJ!" I yelled. We were nearly there, actually on the hill. It was barely five meters away. But his agility was running out. He slowed, and the ogre lunged. I saw. I screamed. I leapt. I defended. I protected. I got stabbed. I collapsed in AJ's arms, my mouth uttering the words, "I'm sorry," before everything faded.

**I can't even...asdfghjkl;'**


	6. AJ takes over, for now

**This chapter is gonna be a little different.**

AJ's POV

Gone. She was gone. Her body lying on the floor, oozing crimson blood from a wound in her chest. Her hair was tangled around her face in matted knots, and her face was scratched and unnaturally pale. Her eyes were closed and she looked calm, an expression which was rarely seen on Toni's face. She was still. I looked at her shirt – blood was staining it thickly. She needed a med camper, preferably from the Apollo cabin. But this wound could be fatal. She needed help right away.

I pulled at her shirt and tore it off to get a proper look at her gash. It was way worse than I'd originally thought – it was wide, deep and gushing like Niagara Falls. I held her limp hand, as if I let go, she'd be gone forever. I held her hand, trying to keep her alive. I held her hand to keep me from crying out. I held her hand because deep down, I've always loved her.

Tears pricked in my eyes, but for once, I wasn't ashamed.

"HELP!" I screamed desperately; worry building in my chest and almost constricting my throat. "HELP ME!" Tears were pouring down my face now, torrents of hot salty water flowing down my cheeks, making my voice thick and unsteady. Luckily, a camper walking past the barrier saw and heard my screams. My heart beat erratically as she helped me up. I was on my knees in the grass. She tried to help me lift Toni, but I wouldn't let her. No one else could touch her right now. I was her best friend. She needed me as much as I needed her. I insisted on carrying her the whole way up the hill, my eyes never leaving her, in case she woke up. I checked her face for movements, watched her chest to see if her breathing pattern changed. I staggered up the hill with the girl in tow, not caring how many people stared at me, at her, at us both. They whispered things, things I couldn't hear but I knew were about us. They commented on my tear-stained cheeks, on her unconscious body, on the blood staining her tan skin and my hands.

I laid her down gently in the infirmary, still holding her hand. The girl looked at me uncertainly. Now that I focused, she looked like an Apollo camper, with her golden hair and blue eyes.

"I'm Amelia," she said quietly, "Want me to call her family?" I nodded. Amelia looked at me, almost sympathetically, before running off.

Finally alone. I studied Toni's face for what seemed like the millionth time. She was oddly serene. Without her usual sarcastic smirk, grumpy scowl or infectious smile, she looked...different. Younger. Relaxed. I was used to this Toni – smiling, making sarcastic jokes, or yelling at me in fury. I was used to the Toni whose eyes used to flash when she was angry, who used to snort uncontrollably when she found something hilarious, who used to jump around and practically bounce off the walls, who used to speak so loud you could hear her from miles away. Not this Toni – quiet, still, pale and vulnerable. Toni and Vulnerable shouldn't go together in a sentence.

It was almost as if she was faking it. I suddenly plunged into a memory, when we were six years old...

"_BANG BANG BANG!" Toni yelled, shooting me with her nerf gun. The soft foam bullet bounced harmlessly off my chest, but she cackled like she'd won. Well, she had. That's what happens when you play armies. Who can hit the other first successfully wins. So I decided to play a little game._

_I clutched my 'bullet wound' and staggered around the floor, groaning. Toni giggled at my antics. Ha! This wouldn't do. I collapsed onto the floor, writhing and twitching in 'pain'. Then I fell still, holding my breath. Toni giggled a little more, and then she stopped. She ran up to me._

"_I know you're faking it." She stated matter-of-factly. I froze, taking care not to move a muscle._

_I knew she was biting her lip. "AJ?" She said, in a muffled voice. "Are you dead?"_

_I wanted to burst out laughing. OF COURSE NOT! But I didn't._

"_YOU'RE DEAD!" she shouted, red in the face. I leapt to my feet._

"_Grrr!" I growled. "I'm a zombie!"_

_Toni screamed and whacked with her nerf gun, which actually kinda hurt._

"_You meanie!" she pouted. "I thought you were actually dead!"_

_I smiled then. "Nah. I'm not dead. We're gonna die together, remember?"_

_Toni grinned toothily (she had lost both her front teeth, we were all calling her gappy), "I'm gonna die a hero death, like Beck...Beckan...Becko...Bekendarf or his girlfriend Silena!"_

"_Ok." I beamed._

A hero's death. Oh, Toni...why you? Why now?

Suddenly her breathing changed. Her breaths came faster...too fast. Rapid. She was panting. This wasn't good. Then it slowed. Too slow. This was worse. The monitor beeped ominously, tracking her slowing heart-rate.

Uncle Percy, Auntie Annabeth, Olivia and the twins ran in as the monitor emitted a long final beep. The only thing they saw was me, fresh tears spilling over my face, shaking my head. She was gone. Gone, forever. The only girl I've ever truly loved, gone. Gone.

She was dead.

**Holy...TEARS ARE POURING DOWN MY FACE ASDFGHJKL;'# FANGIRLING ASDFGHJKL; I'M SUCH A CRUEL TROLL AUTHOR I'M WORSE THAN RICK OMGS OMGS OMGS TONI NOOOOOOOOOOOO!**


	7. Is this resuscitation?

**I'm skipping ahead of time a bit here, not too badly though, but here we go….**

* * *

><p>Toni's family gathered around her steel bed quietly. Dan and Luke had their hands over their mouths, looking thoroughly shocked and saddened. Olivia was sobbing in a corner – Toni had always been her favourite. Percy was being brave, though tears were leaking from his oceanic eyes. But Annabeth was the worst.<p>

See, Toni had a bad relationship with her mother. They'd spend hours yelling and screaming at each other, in which Toni would be sent to her room, fuming, slamming doors and drawers and generally cursing her mom in English, Latin and Greek. Annabeth would usually walk away, cursing her daughter's stubbornness and behaviour. They'd both go red in the face, nose to nose, hollering at the top of their voices. It had been clear –Annabeth grudgingly loved her youngest daughter, and Toni certainly did love her mother, but they both forgot to show it.

But now, here she was, bawling her eyes out over Toni. I felt fresh tears of my own resurfacing as I stroked her hair gently. She couldn't be dead. Could she? The Fates weren't that cruel, were they?

"Is she – " Dan started.

"Dead?" Luke finished solemnly. All eyes looked down. No one answered. They didn't have to.

"No." I said. "She's not dead."

They all looked at me like I was delusional. "Her spirit lives on," I continued, my eyes brimming, "Her memories will stay with us forever."

Annabeth nodded gratefully. Percy put a tender arm around the rest of his family and slowly steered them away. They couldn't bear seeing her like this, whereas all I wanted was to see her.

* * *

><p>Rachel walked in and sat by me, looking forlorn. Her wild hair (so similar to Toni's, only shorter) was scraped into a messy bun but strands were falling around her face. In her hands she was clutching a tattered old book. She handed it to me wordlessly.<p>

The first page read: _This is the property of Toni Sally Jackson. DO NOT READ THIS. If this is Dan or Luke reading this, I will personally rip out your vocal cords. If it is Olivia, shut the damn book before I hit you. If it's anyone else, prepare to die, because this is private._

It was _so_ Toni. Even her writing was filled with her bubbly, if slightly rude attitude. I smiled weakly and turned the page.

_She lives in the shadow of a lonely girl,_

_Voice so quiet you can't hear a word,_

_She talks all the time but she can't be heard, _**(Little me, by Little Mix)**

"These are song lyrics!" I realised. "Wait, _Toni_ wrote them?"

Rachel smiled at me wanly. "She wrote lots of songs." she sighed, clearly upset.

"She…never told me she was a songwriter." I mused quietly. Rachel touched my shoulder gently, her hand unnaturally cold. I winced.

"There was a lot of things she never told you about herself," she whispered back, "Her singing, her songs, her poetry, and her undying love for you." She added softly.

I froze. She…she loved _me_? Rachel smiled mournfully and walked away, head bowed.

* * *

><p>"I'm so sorry." I whispered into Toni's ear. "So, so sorry."<p>

She sighed. Wait, what?! She sighed. _She sighed. SHE SIGHED. _SHE WAS ALIVE!

"Toni, Toni, Toni," I said, running my fingers through her knotted hair, "Are you alive? You are! C'mon, you can wake up. Do this for me."

Her eyes started fluttering. Amelia, the Apollo camper, came in, to see Toni struggling to lift her heavy eyelids. She squeaked and ran to fetch everyone.

Toni's eyes opened. They were ocean-green, just like her dad's. But they were brighter than, more vibrant and entrancing and beautiful. She shifted herself into a sitting position, her eyes pooling.

"AJ!" She cried.

"Toni!" I replied. **(Oops, that rhymed.)**

She hugged me tightly, sobbing into my shoulder yet I knew she was smiling. The Jackson's walked in yet again, this time smiling tearfully. Toni continued shaking in my arms.

"AJ…" She murmured again, squeezing me even tighter. I felt her warm breath on my neck and was reassured that this was real. We finally broke apart. Toni took a second to analyse her surroundings, then looked back at me.

"Err…" she began awkwardly. "Could you get me my shirt?" She pointed over to the desk. I blushed deep crimson.

"Uh, sure." I handed it to her. Both of us looked like tomatoes. Olivia ran forwards and proceeded to squash the life out of Toni. Soon, the rest of them joined in until it looked like a game of pile-on.

Toni's eyes darted around the room again. Then she looked back at me, and my hand…

"Where did you get that?" Toni asked, her voice deadly calm. I realised I was still holding her song-book.

"Σκατά. Rachel gave it to me. Your songs are real good, y'know. I never knew you wrote songs 'til now. Why didn't you ever tell me?"

Now it was Toni's turn to blush. "I…never mind. The point is, it's private, so you should _not _be looking through it." She folded her arms and huffed, rolling her eyes at me.

Toni swung her legs out of the steel bed and stood up unsteadily, on hand balanced on the metal edge of the bed.

"Toni, you're supposed to stay in bed for an extra two days." I informed her. As usual, she scoffed at me.

"Like, who cares? I can at least _walk_." She took a step, and her legs collapsed. Luckily she grabbed onto the windowsill and less-than-gracefully pulled herself up again. I smiled at her stubbornness – she was still refusing to ask for help. A sure sign she was getting better.

* * *

><p><strong>Toni: I know it's a bit early for this, but Kacie is going on holiday soon so...<br>AJ: Happy...  
>Toni: <span><em>EASTER!<em>**

**I lurve easter! There's chocolate, and bunnies, and flowers, and chocolate, and LOTS OF BABY COUSINS FOR ME (yeah, I know), and chocolate. Did I mention the chocolate?**

**Anyways...REVIEW! I know that Mila-is-a-bookworm101 will review, but will anyone else?**


	8. AJ melts my brain

**I am on fire! Two chapters in two days! WOW!**

* * *

><p>Toni's POV (back to normal)<p>

I forged my way through camp, ignoring the curious stares and shocked whispers. I wasn't in the mood for an interrogation – I actually died back there. It was really strange; my body went weightless and my soul floated away. I was in a dark, creepy room (which could have used some refurbishment, it was _dead_ depressing) with a bunch of other mournful souls, when I found myself being dragged towards the light. Then I was alive again.

But now there were stares. I passed the pavilion, and the soft tapping of my feet turned heads. They all gawped at me. Haven't they seen an injured quarter-god? Oh, now I remember. I'm _famous._

Not for any heroic thing _I've_ done, but for my parents. Dream come true, right?

* * *

><p>My thoughts clouded and swirling, I headed towards the beach to try and settle my head. I do it often. The ocean rejuvenates me when I'm like this, all distracted and ADHD.<p>

Stretched out across the sand, tapping her feet softly and humming, was Mila, one of my best friends. She's a daughter of Poseidon, so it was no surprise that she was there too. She's usually quiet shy and quiet, but when she's with her friends, she's INSANE, kinda like me. I love Mila like a sister.

As I approached, she turned to see me, and broke into a smile of relief and joy. Her gorgeous eyes sparkled.

"Toni!" She screeched, being her usual loud self. I covered my ears slightly, giggling. Mila is also extremely ADHD, like me, a trait we both find hilarious.

I smiled back at her gently and lay besides her, feeling the sun warm my arms and the wave gently lap my feet. "Lovely spot, isn't it?" I commented lazily. Mila nodded.

"I come here all the time. Isn't it great?! It's deserted most of the time anyway, except for me of course, so it's always quiet and I get to think, but when I don't wanna speak I go see you, or anyone else." She said all this in one rushed breath. She tends to gabble a lot – most of the time I can understand what she's saying though.

I lay back, tanning my face when, "ARGH!"

Mila looked at me in alarm. "What?" Then she started sniggering. It was AJ, with a bucket of _icy_ water, and he'd thrown the whole thing on top of me. I dried myself in an instant and maturely stuck my tongue out at him. Naturally he did it back.

"Come on, Chiron wants you." He said, taking my hand and pulling me up.

"I'll catch you later, Waterbird." She's called me that since some bullies called it me when I was what, 6? But I have my own comeback.

"Bye bye, Mila-Whale." Get it? Like, killer whale pronounced differently? No? Okay. Well it's funny, because the only time she'd hurt someone would be in battle and she certainly isn't whale-like. We both glared playfully at each other, and then me and AJ turned to walk away.

* * *

><p>During the walk back, AJ was oddly quiet. He seemed like he was up with the stars, dreaming.<p>

"What is it?" I demanded, the silence getting too awkward for me to physically bear. "What are you doing?"

"Huh? Oh, I was just thinking."

"About…" I prompted.

"Me and Megan actually. It's…" I didn't let him finish.

"You're kidding. YOU'RE KIDDING. You're thinking about _her, now?_ After all I've been through, and you're thinking about her?"

"Toni, I was only thinking that-"

My temper flared up. "I KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU WERE THINKING! I DIED BACK THERE AJ, I PHYSICALLY DIED." We were attracting a huge crowd, staring at our feud.

"BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU CARE MORE ABOUT YOUR EX-GIRLFRIEND THAN YOUR BEST FRIEN –"

I was cut off, suddenly finding a soft pair of lips – _his_ soft lips - caressing my own. Feeling as if my brain was melting, I kissed him back. There was nothing else that mattered in the world, I would have stayed like that forever. I was in heaven, I was dreaming, I was obviously dying again because nothing in the world is perfect, yet this was so perfect, so pure, so _right_. I felt myself being lifted into his arms, realised how my hands fit inside his like a jigsaw puzzle. All I could think of was AJ – my best friend, my saviour, my hero, my _one true love_. I waited for myself to wake up, I squeezed my eyes shut and waited.

"Are you okay?" came AJ's voice in my ear, above the noise of the cheering crowd. I realised that tears – happy tears – were pouring down my face. I grinned.

"Never better." Then I kissed him again, much to the roars of our little crowd.

Suddenly, my friends came out from behind a tree. Mila, Kacie (daughter of Hecate), Erica (daughter of Zeus) and Rona and Rita Stoll (twin quarter god of Hermes ((Travis and Katie's kids)), wielding a camera and matching identical smiles. Mila ran up to me and hugged me.

"Finally!" She yelled down my earhole. "The Tajax ship has sailed!"

Mila's funny. If she wasn't a demigod I would swear she was a fangirl. But I grinned back at everyone.

"Was this planned?" I asked. My friends looked at each other.

"Nope."

I raised an eyebrow. AJ's eyes bore into mine, his amazing, sky blue eyes….and said, "They're telling the truth. That was completely spontaneous." I relaxed and grinned again. Kacie used some weird glowing runes in the air and to tell the rest of people at camp about the kiss, and soon enough nearly the entire camp (about 120) had gathered around us.

"Lift 'em up!" Erica shouted. I felt the sea of hands sweep us both up, taking us on a victory lap of camp. Huh. So much for seeing Chiron.

* * *

><p><strong>OMGS ASDFGHJKL;'# THEY FINALLY KISSED ASDFGHKL;'#<strong>


	9. I encounter the Kiss Cam

**I'm not sure whether I mentioned what time it was in the story…but its Fourth of July ok? Just…just go with the flow. Whilst I'm here: **_**3**_** chapters in **_**3**_** days! Oh, and I said something earlier about Leo having no kids. That's a lie. He has a kid with Calypso.**

"Come _on!_" Mila groaned at me frustratedly. I sighed at her heavily and turned around to face her.

"Remind me again – why are we doing this?" I complained for about the fifth time in the space of half an hour. We were both in the Poseidon cabin, since it was empty apart from Mila, staring into a full length mirror, with outfits strewn over the bed and various hair-styling icons scattered around. In short – I was in hell.

"Look, I don't really wanna do this either, Toni. But it's the biggest dating event of the year, and your _first boyfriend_ wants to go with you. You have to at least look decent. No hoodies, no converse." I blew out my cheeks and let out a huge puff of air, trying hard not to go crazy with the straighteners.

"It's easy for you to say. You're the pretty one." It was true. Mila had stunning chocolate eyes and dark brown, almost black hair that was naturally silky and glossy. She blushed ever-so-slightly and turned away.

"Whatever. So, I'm not Aphrodite-girl when it comes to clothes, but I know your dos and don'ts."

I moaned loudly and often, but I let Mila do stuff. She held up outfits, to which I nodded or shook, then tried them on, to which _she_ nodded or shook.

Then she started on my hair. If there's one thing I hate, its people playing with my hair. She tried to brush out some of the frizz ("Ow-w-w-w! No Mila, don't brush it again!" "No, the spray doesn't work!" "For the love of Zeus!"). So we gave up on that and got the straighteners out.

But the worst was yet to come. (I'm making this sound like a horror story). She leaned towards me wielding a little bag.

"Nu uh. There is _no way_ you're going to put _makeup_ on my face."

Mila laughed at me. She must be the only person, other than AJ, who can physically laugh at my sarcasm. She brushed me off.

"It'll look natural, trust me. I've done this before."

Reluctantly, I closed my eyes and let her do whatever she was doing.

You know, I gotta hand it to Mila here. I looked different. I didn't look like me. She'd even managed to conceal that ugly red boil on the end of my nose. I looked…pretty. My hair had been straightened, but it still had a slight wave to it. My eyes were outlined with kohl, which really brought out the green in them, along with a thin layer of mascara. I had a pale reddish colour painted on my lips too. We'd both agreed on an outfit together.

We wanted something not too formal – and we found it. I was wearing a green under-vest with a loose white shoulder-less tee on top. It had a picture of the American flag on it too, very fitting for the event. Then we'd found some ripped denim shorts to go with it. I gazed in Mila's mirror in astonishment.

"Mila…" I asked slowly, "Who the hell is that in your mirror and what have they done with my reflection?" I said incredulously. Mila smiled at me.

"Go!" She hissed. "You're gonna be late."

I met AJ by the big house. He looked amazing (I'm not used of being allowed to compliment him) in (another) polo shirt and chinos.

"You look beautiful," he told me, taking my hand. I blushed as he kissed me on the cheek softly and led me away. I wasn't used of being called beautiful.

"Um, where are we going?" I asked. The fireworks were starting an hour after sunset, and the sun was already sinking. We were heading in the complete wrong direction.

"Just trust me." AJ chuckled as he started climbing the biggest rock. Shrugging, I followed him. We climbed higher and higher, until we reached a relatively flat rock surface at the top, laid out with a picnic blanket and a basket of food. Looked good already.

"We've got a perfect view of the sunset," I whispered in awe. I could have sat there forever – well no, that's a lie. ADHD, remember? We got bored. I slyly picked up a cream cake, whilst AJ wasn't looking, aimed, and SPLAT! Cream face.

AJ turned slowly, pretending to be angry. He scraped the cream off his face and picked up a burrito (hey, when one of your best friends best friends ((does that make sense?)) is a son of Hephaestus, with an inherited toolbelt…) and chucked it at my clothes. I screeched and ducked, then threw an egg sandwich at him. Ha!

This carried for a while, both of us shrieking and laughing. Then I heard a high pitched 'whee' and saw a burst of sparks. I dropped the cake I was holding and turned, mesmerised, to look at the fireworks. Explosions of pink, white, blue, red and green burst into the sky, taking shapes of the American flag, past presidents, anything American. Then, in purple sparks, came the words, "Kiss Cam."

The kiss cam is the same concept as it is in baseball parks, except it's played in the sky instead of a screen. It looks as if the sky is a screen; it's amazing. We stared at it, waiting for the first couple. Clarisse and Chris! Clarisse punched Chris, picked him up by the shirt and kissed him smack on the mouth. The crowd below cheered.

Next up…Olivia and Harvey! Olivia blushed and giggled, and Harvey smiled at her. Then they kissed (duh.)

Next…Cassie Valdez and Rupert Avila Ramirez Arellano! (Long name, eh?) Rupert looked at Cassie sceptically, but Cassie ignored him and kissed him anyway.

Next up…Oh gods. Guess who? How can the kiss cam see us from up here? I could tell AJ was having the same thoughts. I put my hand over my mouth and spluttered into giggles. It was embarrassing – even my parents were down there. Then I heard a voice from the crowd – unmistakably Olivia – yelling, "KISS! KISS! KISS!"

Soon there was a whole crowd of voice yelling at us. AJ shrugged. I grinned and leant forwards. Our lips touched.

And let's just say I didn't see any of the fireworks after that.

**You guys waited long and hard for these fluffy chapters. Fluff, like bunnies! Bunnies, like EASTER! Yeah, sorry. And those who have me on author alert, I apologise. I'm updating every day. It's because next Friday, I'm going to Butlins in Minehead! I suppose I've got a long time yet, but still…I want this story to be long! **


	10. Intense drama

**I bet you lot are getting sick of my constant updates. Actually, not sick of them, just…I can't find the word. But PRESSURE though! It's hard writing these. And…I'm going to start elaborating more on other people's love stories too, though I am focused on TAJAX! (Their ship name, unless you can think of a better one.)**

Ugh, school.

Is there any worse feeling than going back to school after a holiday? Knowing that you'll get loads of after-school detentions because you didn't do your homework? I don't think so.

But, since it was a normal day, I woke up at 7:00am to the sound of…vomit? Ew. I sat up slowly, my head spinning like a carousel. My eyes were heavy and thick with sleep. My curly, frizzy hair looked like I'd stuck my finger in an electric socket. After knuckling my eyes, I deemed myself able to (unsteadily) walk, groaning with every step and leaning against the wall.

I padded slowly into our onsuite **(just go with it, please) **and yawned slowly, seeing the hunched figure of my sister Olivia bent over the toilet. Cautiously I knelt down beside her and rubbed her back, soothing her. After another minutes of serious chuck-up, she sat up and looked me in the eyes. She looked awful.

Her eyes were bloodshot and webbed with cataracts, like she hadn't slept in a while. Tears were dripping down her face and she was even paler than usual.

My eyes conveyed the unspoken words, _are you alright_? Olivia sniffed, deliberated, and shook her head. I frowned in concern. Glancing at the clock, I realised I'd be late for school. I quickly texted AJ:

Toni: Go to school without me, I'm gonna be late ;) x

AJ: Again? :* xx

I smiled to myself and turned back to Olivia. "You're ill, aren't you? What's wrong?"

Olivia shook her head again, her usually straight blonde hair tangled in a mess around her face. "I'm not ill."

Studying her face, I saw she showed no signs of lying. She was telling the truth. "It's a secret, ok? Don't tell 'til I do." I nodded solemnly.

So that was how I learned that my sister, 20, was going to have a baby.

Ten minutes away from school, and I distinctly heard the bell ring. _Dammit!_ I thought. I still hadn't really managed to brush my hair, or even match my socks (one grey, green, red, purple and blue stripy one, one patterned with hysterical frogs). I looked a mess, even for me. Just as the doors were about to lock, I slipped inside. PHEW!

Let's just say that my English teacher, Mrs Morris, wasn't too happy. She was in the middle of a _fascinating_ lecture about grammar and abbreviations, when I burst in yelling, "Soz Miss, I'm a bit late 'cus I had to deal with a family thing." She then proceeded to give _me_ a fascinating lecture on punctuality, tidiness, and stop-giving-me-that-sarcastic-smirk-young-lady-or-you'll-get-a-detention. I tried my best to put a humble expression on my face, but I've been at this school for 4 years. There isn't a teacher who doesn't know my name. I think that's a bad thing.

After her red-faced moan at me, she turned back to her board and started writing whilst talking. Someone passed a note onto my desk: So_, what's the family crisis?_ AJ. I smiled in spite of the situation.  
><em>Olivia.<br>What about her? Is she ok?  
>She's…she didn't want me to tell anyone, but oh well. She's gonna have a baby.<br>Oh snap. Your mom know yet?  
>No, not yet. It's Harvey's. I'm not sure he knows, either.<br>Damn!_

"Toni and Ajax, would you care to share your notes, which must be _much_ more fascinating than this lesson." Mrs Morris gave that stern teacher glare they do so often.

"They're not particularly interesting, but you're right – they _are_ more interesting than this lesson."

Before I knew it, I was wandering through the halls to the principal's office. I approached the door and knocked. "Come in, Toni." Came the weary voice from the other side. How did he know it was me? Creepy.

Turns out he was so used of me coming; he knew when it was me automatically.

[Time warp - - - Lunchtime]

I flopped down onto our table in the cafeteria, having being slaughtered in algebra. I mean, I'm dyslexic. I hate words. I hate numbers. So, the evil genius somewhere in the world decided to make hell for all dyslexics and combine them into stupid problems like _9a + 6y = 88 + a._ What?! It's cruel. I'd sue the school, but I've got no cash. Dammit.

"So what's new?" Logan asked us as AJ sat down, "Heard you guys went to your summer camp again." AJ and I shared a secret smile.

"Yeah, it was pretty good." I said.

"Crashed the jeep," AJ replied casually.

"Almost died," I added.

"Had a fight," AJ butted in.

"Kissed." I finished, a grin spreading across my face. The reaction was amazing. Toby dropped his apple into his sauce. Logan's mouth almost hit the floor. Jamie stamped her heeled foot and went, "NEVER!"

I just kinda went on grinning. I was blushing, I was totally embarrassed, but I went on grinning gamely.


	11. Let it go! (Jordan)

"So, we're meeting up at the cinema then?" AJ said to me as we left school. I took his hand in mine.

"Yeah, maybe 4?" I replied. He leant over and kissed the top of my head, then nodded satisfactorily. I still didn't know what we were going to see. AJ had bought the tickets, but he wouldn't tell me. I've tried pestering him, but he just shakes me off. Psh.

I saw our apartment approaching as we strolled casually down the streets. AJ glanced up there too, then shared a worried look with me.

"Is Olivia ok?" he asked. I chewed my lip, not sure what to say. I had been worried about her all day, so much I couldn't concentrate on any of my work. My ADHD brain focused on what was more important – family. I shrugged.

"I'd better go," I answered lamely. Luckily, AJ understood. He kissed me again, on the lips, and smiled as he carried on down the street. I sighed and headed towards the apartment.

The moment I stepped in the elevator, I regretted it. Usually, I have this weird medication that stops me from being claustrophobic **(I don't know if this is real)**, but I didn't have it. My heart pounded. The walls closed in, squeezing me and _DING!_ I was at the top. _Phew!_ Mental note: remember to take claustrophobia meds.

I threw open the door to our apartment, swung my bag onto the side and looked around. Mom and dad were out, at work. Mom's a famous architect, not just for Olympus, for all places. Dad's a marine biologist and a lifeguard, and at this time of year, he's busy. Dan and Luke were out too – probably out sucking faces with a girl whose name they didn't even know. I padded into the bedroom, where I found Olivia, hunched in a ball on her bed, crying softly. I sat beside her and put my arm around her. It felt weird reassuring my sister, who was _five years older than me,_ convincing her everything would be alright.

"You know, you'll need to tell Harvey soon." Olivia sniffed and looked up. Even crying, she was pretty. NOT FAIR. I touched her shoulder gently. "Look, no one else is home. I'll call Harvey."

I didn't really give her much choice. I picked up my phone and quickly dialled '07351 639 428'. Harvey answered from the line.

"Hello?"

"It's me, Toni."

"Oh, hi Toni. What's up?"

"We need you to come over. Olivia needs you."

"Olivia? Is she alright?"

"She's fine; she just needs to talk to you."

"Getting in the car now."

"Thanks!"

I hung up. "Harvey's on his way." Olivia emitted another high pitched sob. I felt kinda bad, but this was important. She couldn't hide it forever. Imagine that: 'Oh, what's that, Olivia?' 'I ate a big lunch' 'must've been pretty huge' 'where'd that baby come from?' 'Uh…' It wouldn't work. It was best that we let people know early so that she had support.

_Knock-knock-knock!_ Harvey. Olivia's eyes widened. She shook her head frantically and mouthed, 'I'm not in!'

I turned away from her and opened the front door. Harvey ran straight past me, engulfing Olivia in a huge hug. "Rude…" I muttered to myself jokingly, "He didn't even say hi."

Meanwhile, Olivia was crying into Harvey's brand new shirt. He didn't seem to mind. I watched Olivia steer Harvey away, the two of them deep in conversation. I looked at the clock, and cursed in Greek. I needed to hurry – it was 3:45 and I had to be there by 4:00.

On the whole, I think I did pretty well with the whole _gotta get ready_ issue. I threw on the shirt Olivia got me – red plaid and tied up in a knot at the bottom, and some black leggings. Next I braided my hair to get it out of the way and ran out the door. AJ was waiting for me.

"Cutting it a bit thin, are we? I also like to live dangerously." I burst out laughing. My laughs, if you didn't know, are very weird. I sound really dirty (as if I'd done something naughty), snort a lot, and I'm very infectious. AJ laughed with me, holding my hand and swinging it around playfully.

"Don't hold my hand," I said mockingly in a silly baby voice, "Cooties."

AJ smiled. "Remember that?" he reminisced, "We were the only kids who didn't believe in cooties."

"That's 'cause we're realists." I answered. Dropping my hand, AJ draped his arm across my shoulder inside. I shoved him teasingly, but secretly, I liked it.

When we finally got to the cinema, there was a huge queue. We stood in it impatiently, waiting to stamp our tickets and all that. I looked around, bored.

"Oh my gods. Is that Mila and _Jordan?_" I said, pointing. It was! Mila, daughter of Poseidon, was standing in line for the movie, shyly tucking her dark hair backwards and laughing at a joke. _Jordan, son of Hephaestus_, was generally being ridiculous, telling stupid jokes and one-liners. I've never thought much of the stereotypical blue-eyed hunk, but Mila seemed happy with him.

"Hey, Mila!" I called. She looked over, astonished – then went crimson.

"Uh, hi." She murmured, tapping her foot and staring at the ground. Jordan scratched the back of his neck awkwardly.

"You're on a date!" I announced. Mila sucked in a breath.

"Don't tell anyone, yet." She whispered.

"No fear. What're you watching?" AJ asked.

"Frozen, that Disney film." Jordan said, raising a sceptical eyebrow at Mila, who grinned sheepishly.

"Us too!" AJ said. My face lit up.

Finally we got to our seats. It started with Mila crying during 'Do you wanna build a snowman?' then meeting Anna, Elsa, Hans, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven etc. I was loving it, to be honest. I felt like Elsa – hiding away from everyone. Only I don't have ice powers or wear dresses for that matter, plus I'm not blonde. Oh well.

"That was rubbish!" Jordan said as we walked out. I looked at him.

"Just let it go Jordan." A grin involuntarily spread across my face, as the three of us (me, Mila, AJ) started singing. Jordan covered his ears.

Stuck for time, we wandered over to the park to walk around. Mila decided that that would be a good time to kiss Jordan.

"Come on," I said gently, pulling AJ away. "Leave them to have their moment."

After that, it was us who had a moment. A very long moment. A beautiful romantic momen –

**Come on Toni!**

Alright AJ, don't lose your underwear!

**Well, that was better than expected.**


	12. I'm the WHAT!

School was finally finished. It had been relatively good, since we had a substitute teacher for science and we'd all swapped names. AJ delivered me to my door and kissed me on the forehead (with difficulty, since we're the same height.) I smiled at him and walked into the apartment.

The first thing I noticed was the noise. It was eerily hushed, no TV blaring, no crisp-packets crunching, and no arguments too – not even the buzzing of the fridge. It was also messy. Glasses and plates were still stacked on the counter, and random objects were strewn on the floor. Mom never left the house untidy.

"Mom?" I called. "Dad? Olivia?" No answer. It was silent. I bit my lip. My parents always let me know if they we going out, as did Olivia. Dan and Luke were out all the time, so they never told me. I searched through the mess, looking for a note or anything. Nothing. Suddenly the silence grew scary. I wasn't used to this unnatural stillness, the quietness permeating the air. I didn't want to speak anymore, as my voice echoed around the empty walls, making me sound childish and scared. I was, but I didn't need to hear my shaking voice.

I peered round Olivia's door, Luke and Dan's door, the bathroom, Mom and Dad's door. Just as I'd suspected, they were empty. There was no sign of them whatsoever. Where were they?

My mind spun. Could they have been…_kidnapped?_ Oh no, it was happening! That dream…that voice…I'd had it every night.

_Toni Jackson, it laughed, the weakest of them all. The distraction, the failure, the accident, the unwanted…_

"_STOP!" I tried to scream._

_So young, so naïve…, it crooned, you'll never save them._

_All I could see was chains, chains binding my family in some unknown place. Chains holding them back, hurting them._

"_NO!" I screamed desperately. "WHAT CAN I DO?!"_

_The voice laughed again. Nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing…_

The tap exploded, and water gushed out of it. The pipebeneath the sink burst and more water shot out of it like a cannon. Raging torrents of water came flooding along the hallway from the bathroom. I was stressed, and I couldn't control it.

"NO!" I yelled, which only seemed to make the surge stronger. It was up to my shins now, and rising fast.

"NO!" I was trapped. "STOP!" I had never been able to control it. My fingers were shaking with effort. I was trying to stop the endless flow, but it only stormed away and carried on rising. It rose faster than ever, flowing like Niagara Falls I screamed loudly, a piercing scream that took it all out of me. The door flew open and the water whooshed out of the door, leaving me alone in a drenched apartment, wearing a soaking-wet school uniform and terrified out of my wits.

I did the first thing I could think of in a panicked situation. I called a taxi (the grey sisters), told them to take me to camp and to step on it. Luckily they ignored the tears streaming down my face, but I'd bet 1000 drachmas they knew why. I was grateful that they didn't ask, because speech was unintelligible.

When we arrived I silently handed over the drachmas, still sobbing in terror. I ran up the hill and through the barrier, tearing through the fields, looking for the one person I needed to talk to. Rachel.

When she saw me she invited me in instantly, letting me cry on her shoulder and soothing me whilst I sobbed in distress. She smoothed my hair (so similar to hers, but wilder) and took my hand. Suddenly she bolted upright, her eyes glowing. Her voice came in three, like there were three snake-women talking through her.

"_Deep in the earth they will be found,_

_Beware, not just in chains they're bound,_

_The one you love most shall have to stay,_

_Unless a sacrifice can be used to pay,_

_A promise forgot throughout the years,_

_Will only lead to family tears."_

I stared at Rachel in shock, who had curled up in the fetal position on her bed. I shook her gently, not wanting to trigger another prophecy. I withdrew my hand as soon as she came to. Seeing the look of horror on my face, she looked at me sympathetically.

"Come here," She beckoned me, leading me over to one of her easels. It was covered with a cloth, like most of them. When she lifted it off I gasped. It was a portrait of me. Only I looked different. There was a wild, alert look in my eyes like a cornered animal. I looked fierce and tough, a real fighter. There wasn't the faintest trace of a smile on my face – it was a hard line of defiance. I had scratches on my face and a few nasty cuts that looked quite deep too. I stared at it in awe.

"When did you draw this?" I asked softly.

Rachel looked at me with kind eyes. "It was when your mother was having you. I saw it in a dream. That was when I knew. _You_ were the prophecy child, not Olivia, not Dan, not Luke, _you_. Nobody else had realised, not even your parents. I planned to keep it that way until the time came. Even you, you didn't realise the potential you have. You still don't. See, your family is special. Your sister was born with more traits of Athena than Poseidon. Both of your brothers were born with more traits of Poseidon than Athena. You were born exactly equal. This makes your powers harder to control, and they act up when you get emotional."

I stared. And stared. It grew eerily silent. I looked Rachel in the eye.

"I have to go. I have to save my family."

I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Bad move Toni, bad move. Never trust a prophecy about yourself.


	13. Prophecies are not things to snigger at

**To Meg (guest): Thanks for that about Ajax. Yes, unfortunately I did know about the myth. I just liked the name because it means courage and bravery. But thanks anyway! (Also I might use it to my advantage later!)**

**I suppose you don't like me since that last chapter. Well…it only gets worse. Sorry!**

All I could think about was that painting. It was exactly right – heck, it even had that annoying pimple in the middle of my forehead. It was so lifelike too, so realistic. In the midst of my thoughts I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. I look at it.

_37 new messages_

_6 missed calls_

Every single one of them was AJ. Sighing heavily, I called him back. He answered after the first ring.

"Toni! Oh gods, you're safe! I was so worried! I came to your apartment and the whole place was soaking wet and empty! Where are you?"

I couldn't get a word in edgeways. "AJ, calm down. You're not making this any easier for me."

His voice grew dangerously quiet. "Tell me. _Now_."

"I'm at camp." I told him, truthfully. "And I have bad news." The phone line went dead. I put my phone away and started walking back towards the sea, my thinking place, my quiet place (often the place where I expressed my anger by throwing things, kicking the sand and yelling too.)

It was calm and tranquil at the beach. Poseidon seemed to sense my mood and kept everything still. I lay down on the sand and just stared up at the sky. I felt like crying again, but no tears would deign to fall. So I sat sombrely, alone, silently stewing. I was mad. I was _mad._ All this time, I'd been underrated. Everyone had thought it was going to be my sister. _I _apparently had no chance of being the prophecy child. Everyone, even _Chiron_, _trainer of the greatest heroes_, had underrated me. It was infuriating.

Minutes later, AJ came running up behind me, red in the face and breathless. He sat down next to me, nearly purple.

"So-you-said-you-had-bad-news?" He wheezed. I clutched his arm to steady him.

"Are you alright?" I asked, pointlessly. Of course he wasn't.

"Car-ran-out-of-gas. Had-to-run-the-rest-of-the-way." I shook my head at him fondly, if sadly.

"You shouldn't do that, you'll hurt yourself." I scolded him.

"I-needed-to-see-you." He panted.

"You still shouldn't have! If you got hurt, would would I –"

"Stop-trying-to-change-the-subject-Toni." He said sternly.

I sighed and looked away. I didn't want to have to tell him this. It would be a real bombshell. Could be fatal. Probably was.

"It's me." I said simply. AJ stared at me confusedly.

"_I'm_ the prophecy child."

"_NO!"_

I sniffed and turned away. "I'm sorry, AJ. I only just found out, I –"

"YOU CAN'T BE THE…THE PROPHECY CHILD!"

"Well I am, ok?! I can't change that!"

In the distance, the horn sounded, signalling a meeting with the camp counsellors. AJ grabbed me by the arm and dragged me along. He was angry that he'd only just been told, as if I'd known all along. It was more of a shock to me than him, anyhow.

When we got into the rec room it was nothing like I expected. I was expecting something like a table and some chairs, kinda classy – but apparently not. Instead we were met with a ping pong table, a few flimsy fold-up chairs and a cheez-whiz spray. Chiron gestured a seat for me which I took nervously, since most of the counsellors were considerably older than me (18 – 21), except for the Poseidon cabin, Mila, the Zeus cabin, Erica, and the Hecate cabin, Kacie, all of whom were my age. Mila squeezed my hand reassuringly until Mr D looked at me.

"So, Tori Johnson –"

"_Toni Jackson._" I corrected irritably.

"Whatever. Yada yada yada youngest daughter of Annabel and Peter, blah blah blah you know the back-story. Chiron told me something about a prophecy of some form?"

Over in the corner of my eye, I saw Kacie lean over and whisper something to Erica, and then she raised her eyebrows suggestively. Erica started spluttering but stifled it by coughing awkwardly. Kacie covered her mouth but her whole body was shaking from suppressed laughs. I smiled at the two fleetingly before steering my attention to Mr D and Chiron.

"Yes, there's a prophecy about me."

"Can you remember it?" Chiron prompted gently.

I took a deep breath.

"_Deep in the earth they will be found,_

_Beware, not just in chains they're bound,_

_The one you love most shall have to stay,_

_Unless a sacrifice can be used to pay,_

_A promise forgot throughout the years,_

_Will only lead to family tears."_

Kacie and Erica had stopped giggling. They were both staring, eyes wide, jaws to the floor. Then the whispering began. The whole room erupted into a cacophony of whispering voices. Erica and Kacie looked deep in conversation, both frowning concernedly as they consulted each other's thoughts.

"Mr, uh, Chiron, sir?" Kacie said, hushing the room instantly.

"I think we've figured out one of the lines." They said in unison.

"_Geez, _they're scary! Reading each other's minds, like twins!" Rona and Rita Stoll muttered. **(Get the irony? No? OK.)**

"It says _A promise forgot throughout the years_, doesn't it? We have the answer."

"More of a hypothesis actually," Kacie said, earning her a glare from Erica. She grinned at her and continued.

"Bob and Damasen." They said simultaneously. Everyone winced at the names.

Oh yeah…I'd forgot about that.

Chiron looked at us gravely. "We cannot confirm for sure, but I think the girls are right. Percy uttered something of a promise to the unfortunate Titan and Giant whilst recovering from his wounds. This could be important."

"What do we do now?" A Demeter camper asked.

Everyone turned to me.

_Greeeeat…_


	14. Author's Note

**This is me complaining. You don't have to read this, but still.**

**Checking this story, I've got 27 reviews and 1,222 views. WTF? If you like it, tell me. If you hate it with a burning passion, tell me. If you think there's something to improve, tell me. If you think that it's super amazing and perfect, please for god's sake TELL ME! I get like **_**one**_** review per chapter, maybe two or three if I'm lucky (Mila thank you). So I want reviews! If you read it, tell me what you think! I don't mind constructive criticism, praising, down talking, just tell me! Otherwise I'll assume you all hate it and delete it. :(**


	15. There is chaos in my head right now

"Meeting dismissed."

I exited quickly, tearing my way through the remaining campers. All my life I'd wanted to be like one of the special demigods, receiving prophecies, walking into the conference room. Yet once I was in there, it so _adult_ – like I was just a stupid teenager with everything to lose and nothing to gain. I was…helpless. And it hurt.I made my way (once again, I do everything there) to the beach. AJ was waiting for me there, his eyes calming and reassuring. They were both his mom's and his dad's eyes; electric blue but changing to baby blue, turquoise and aqua repeatedly. He opened his arms and enveloped me in a huge. I proceeded to cry all over his shirt. AJ pressed his lips to my forehead.

"What did they say?"

"Nothing was really said, only implied. Bob and Damasen are a part of it, they think…so it has to be T-T-Tartarus." I sniffed.

AJ's face took on a hard edge. "Then I'm coming with you."

I shook my head. "I don't want you to die too. I can't control myself, I'm a danger already." I stared at my hands fearfully like they were a pair of aquatic poisonous spiders (my worst fear, spiders that can swim).

AJ's gaze softened. He pulled me back into his warm arms, as I'd started shivering in the sunset. He smiled at me. "You're like a beach," he said, "In many ways; you're dangerous, untameable, uncontrollable, unpredictable, and ever changing. But you're strong too. The sand we're standing on was hewn from rocks. _Rocks_. And also, like the beach…you're beautiful."

I didn't respond, teared up in awe by his speech. "That was so poetic." I whispered.

"I'm coming with you," AJ replied, "whether you like it or not."

For once, I didn't argue.

* * *

><p>AJ led me to my family's cabin, thankfully located next to the shore. I looked at him pleadingly as we got inside. "Sleepover?"<p>

"Sleepover."

_I saw my family, the chains crushing them to the rocks. Mom had blood on her hands from clutching the linked metal, and hair was a frizzy mess, like my own. She looked furious but resigned. Dad was pulling away from the rocks as hard as he could, but I could tell it was hurting him. Dan and Luke tried to smile weakly when they saw my sleeping self watching them in horror. But Olivia was the worst. Due to a slit on her forehead, her hairline was sticky with blood and matted. She looked tired and ill, and had been held so long that the baby had started to show a little on her stomach. I screamed. _

_Mom suddenly looked at me, and gave me her _stern-urgent-desperate-professor _look. _

"_Toni." Her voice was hard. "Use your logic. Remember the synonym game we used to play? Let's play it again. Another word for…pandemonium._

* * *

><p>I woke up screaming, covered in sweat.<p>

The synonym game, a game I loved as a toddler and a child and hated as a teenager, once dyslexia took over for good. Synonym for pandemonium? No idea. I'd better not tell anyone about this, I thought to myself.

Now fully awake, I grabbed my dressing gown and shuffled into the kitchen to get a glass of water. All I needed to do was to hold the glass and the water flew into it. I lifted the glass to my lips and took a tentative sip. As I turned to leave I dropped my glass in shock. It smashed immediately, one of the shards cutting my foot, but I ignored it and carried on staring. For on the fridge, spelled out in magnetic letters, were the words: _They won't last much longer_

AJ had heard the sound of the glass shattering and ran in to find me stuttering incomprehensibly.

"Chaos," I said breathlessly. "Chaos is a synonym for pandemonium."

* * *

><p><strong>Oooh plot twist! I am a troll worthy of Rick himself!<br>****Sorry Mila. I did warn you that you'd hate me forever.  
><strong>**Mwahahahaha.  
><strong>**Sorry.  
><strong>**Not sorry.  
><strong>**NEVER SORRY.  
><strong>**If you want something to take your mind of this tragicness then I have Broken Heels stuck in my head. It reminds me of the Aphrodite cabin. Piper's cabin. Piper is AJ's mom. I've just reminded you of it again.  
><strong>**SORRY NOT SORRY NEVER SORRY.**

**OKAY?  
><strong>**OKAY.**

**I am the best at creating fandom feels.**

"**And you, Toni Sally Jackson. I named you after my mother, a brave, wonderful person. Toni was just a name we liked."**

**HAHA! Now we have PJO, HP and TFIOS feels!**

**Ok bye. **


	16. Entrance to the Underworld - Part One

That night, I didn't sleep. I lay down, listening to AJ's snores in the other room. My heart was racing and I felt sick. My family where someone in the deepest, darkest part of Tartarus, somewhere not even _Heracles_ had been, probably being tortured, and here I was, helplessly lying in bed. I got up and glanced at myself in the mirror.

My hair was sticking up at odd angles, beyond what you could call frizzy. My skin was paler than usual, so pale I looked like a ghost, and I had blackish-purple circles under both of my eyes. I looked suicidal. I _felt_ suicidal. I kept thinking about my dreams – the voice, my family, covered in blood, starving, dying. I stood up straighter. I didn't want AJ to come with me to…to that place. I couldn't let him do that. If I lost him…

No, that wouldn't do. But there was only one thing I could do. Carrying a small backpack, I walked out of my house to start a solo quest at 3:39 am.

Suddenly, I felt crazy. I was breaking curfew, and if the harpies saw me I'd be breakfast. Still, I snuck quietly round, past the U-cabins, past the arena, past the Big House and – yes! Past border duty. I was on my way.

I ran, sprinting across the empty road as fast as I could. By the time they realised I was gone (and had woken up) I wanted to be well on my way, far enough so that they couldn't track me down. I ran faster and faster, speeding towards the lights of Manhattan. Here, I'd blend in well with the swiftly moving atmosphere, even at this ungodly hour in the morning. I curved through narrow streets, took random spontaneous cuts through alleyways, not paying any attention to where I was going, just wanting to get away. Once I was a safe distance away, I skidded to a halt.

Where to go…? I hadn't thought about that. Where did I need to go in order to get there?

Stupid, stupid! This was all my fault. Now I was lost, in the streets of Manhattan, with no clue as to where I was going. If only I knew a child of Hades…

"It's a dark night darling, shouldn't you be at home?"

I turned. Nico! He was looking at me, not smiling, but smirking in an amused way, like it was funny to see me lost in the streets at night. The dark shadows stood out prominently in the pale white street-lights. His hair had grown longer and was shaggy.

"Nico? What are you doing here?" I asked him, my eyes darting around.

"I could ask you the same question." His voice was smooth, soft, taunting. It sent shivers up my spine. Dad had told me long ago; back when I was little, that something had happened to Nico that had changed him. I wasn't sure what it was, but I could tell that he wasn't this frustrating beforehand.

"I have to go to the Underworld." I said urgently, not wanting to waste any more time. A sense of dread was building up slowly inside of me – any minute I wasted here was time that my family we being tortured.

Nico faltered for a second, looking confused, then backed away into the shadows.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" He asked, his voice more serious. I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. What was he talking about? If he was stalling for time then I needed to go. I couldn't stay any longer.

Nico reappeared from the shadows, one pale hand resting on the shoulders of AJ. AJ? What was he doing here?!

He just stared at the floor mournfully, an expression of betrayal and hurt on his face. I started to shake.

"A-AJ? W-why are y-you h-here?" I stuttered, my teeth chattering. AJ looked up at me, and I saw that his eyes were red and puffy.

"I woke up and you were gone. I had no idea where you were. For a while I thought you were _dead_. It's quarter to four, Toni. Come back."

I hated how he sounded all logical and understanding, like a parent. He was acting all wise and sorrowful, the way you did to a naughty toddler to get them to say sorry (believe me, I've been there before.) Well, he didn't understand at all. I felt a white-hot ball of anger towards AJ growing inside of me – anger I hadn't known I was restraining.

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND," I roared. "YOUR PARENTS ARE SAFELY TUCKED IN BED AT HOME, AREN'T THEY? AND WHERE ARE MINE? IN THE MIDDLE OF FLIPPIN' _CHAOS!_ YOU THINK YOU KNOW EVERYTHING, DON'T YOU MR SMARTASS AJAX GRACE. WELL, YOU KNOW _NOTHING!_ NOTHING AT ALL! I'VE HAD ENOUGH! WE'RE DONE."

Ajax swallowed. He looked afraid by my rant.

"Okay." Was all he said as he walked off into the night.

"Well, are you gonna help me get to the underworld or what?" I snarled at Nico. He nodded.

"Cross these two fields, past the barn and then there's a forest. You'll come across a cave with a large, headstone-like rock in front of it. That's the entrance."

He merged with the shadows, and this time, I knew he was gone for real.

I stared at the headstone in front of me. I knew it was the one Nico mentioned, but there was no way of moving it, or passing through, under or over it. About to give up and turn away, it hit me. Orpheus and Eurydice. How did Orpheus (try to) rescue his lover Eurydice from the underworld when she died? …SINGING! Perfect! This was the entrance Orpheus used to get in! Only problem is, he didn't rescue her so she stayed dead and he killed himself to be with her. Let's not go down that route, eh?

I touched the rock with my palm gently.

"Dancing bears, painted wings  
>Things I almost remember<br>And a song someone sings  
>Once upon a December<p>

Someone holds me safe and warm  
>Horses prance through a silver storm<br>Figures dancing gracefully  
>Across my memory...<p>

Someone holds me safe and warm  
>Horses prance through a silver storm<br>Figures dancing gracefully  
>Across my memory<p>

Far away, long ago  
>Glowing dim as an ember<br>Things my heart used to know  
>Things it yearns to remember<p>

Someone holds me safe and strong  
>Horses prance through a silver storm<br>Figures dancing gracefully  
>Across my memory<p>

Far away, long ago  
>Glowing dim as an ember<br>Things my heart used to know  
>Things it yearns to remember<p>

And a song someone sings  
>Once upon a December…" <strong>(Once upon a December, from the movie Anastasia)<strong>

The rock began to tremble.


	17. Entrance to the Underworld - Part Two

**Some of you said it was moving along too fast…ok, I'll try t n.**

**Also I am going to be using the word stupid a lot in this, and yes, it is intentional. Besides, you can't criticise me! I'm just the editor – **_**Toni's**_** the author. Duh.**

You know what? Pride is a bitch. Karma is also a bitch. But, then again, everything is a bitch when your name is Toni Jackson. _Everything._ You die and get revived – only to go back to the stupid Underworld weeks later to save your stupid family from some stupid creature of the darkness. IT'S ALL STUPID.

Immersed in my (stupid) thoughts, I hardly noticed the cracks spreading across the boulder until I saw a blinding light explode from it, and the next thing I knew it was gone. The headstone lay crumbled on the floor.

My eyes began to sting. AJ was probably back at camp by now, in his room, asleep, not caring that his stupid, now _ex_-girlfriend was potentially walking to her death. Maybe he'd told Chiron, and alerted the camp. 'Course, they wouldn't do anything about it, of course. Who cares about Toni? Stupid, immature, ridiculous Toni? No, I was on my own.

Tears began to trickle down my cheeks. I couldn't seem to shake the feeling that I'd done something wrong. Well, that was obvious though. In the spur of the moment, blinded by some uncontrollable anger, I had made the worst decision of my life. His face, the expression of pure pain on it, burned into my mind. Choking on sobs, I squeezed my eyes shut and took a deep breath.

Eyes still shut, I took one step forwards. Step. Step. Step. I didn't want to look at the cave where my life would most likely end. Step. Step. OW! My eyes snapped open. I found myself face to face with…a rock. Stupid Toni had gone and bumped into a stupid rock. I rubbed my nose.

This time, I kept my eyes firmly open. The moment my foot crossed the threshold, everything changed.

I was immediately engulfed in darkness; so much I felt I was drowning in the murky black. Behind me, the rock quickly resealed itself, almost like it knew how tempted I was to escape. Thanks, rock. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. All I could see was a smoky, greenish glow at the far end. Hands trembling, I pulled out my dagger and advanced.

The pulsing light eventually got closer and closer as I walked, and finally, when I was close enough to touch it, it began to change. Smoke drifted around, not really having any direction, until it was all sucked into a shape. In front of me stood a man. He was weedy and weak-looking, but very attractive. He had reddish hair and was wearing the oddest clothes – a green tunic, brown pants and rough leather shoes.

"I," He said, in a deep majestic voice that resonated through the air, "Am Orpheus. I see you have found my entrance."

I gulped. This guy was famous! I needed to say something cool to impress him, and hope my voice didn't wobble too much.

"Uh…y-yeah, I g-guess I d-did." Dammit Toni! He looked at me sceptically.

"And you wish to retrieve a loved one?" He sounded so calm, so collected. I shook.

"Y-yeah. My d-dad, my sister, my b-brothers, and my m-m-m-mom." I cursed my stupid quavering voice.

"And you are aware of the consequences and the dangers?"

"Y-yessir." I affirmed.

He nodded. "Very well." And let me pass, just like that.

I leant against a wall for a moment, my head spinning. I gasped and tried to steady my heartbeat. Claustrophobia, ADHD – not good for tiny underground corridors. Plus, I couldn't see what I was doing and twice, I'd nearly plummeted to my death in 6ft deep random pits and holes, each one giving me a heart-attack. Alone (for sure), I started to let the tears fall.

"Toni?" I heard a voice whisper. I looked up. It was an iris message, but the connection wasn't great. The moment I looked up, it flickered so I couldn't see. Suddenly, it sharpened dramatically, instantly worsening my thumping head.

"Toni?" I heard again.

There was no mistaking that voice.

"AJ?"

"Toni!"

"AJ!"

"TONI!"

There he was, in the message, not smiling but looking happy to see me alive. I basked in the glow.

"Listen, uh…..how do you get past the rock-thingy?" He asked me. I gasped and smiled (smiling in the underworld, I know right? Stupid!)

"Music." I answered.

"Γαμώ."

I heard a screeching noise, like someone being painfully attacked. Luckily, I could see it was AJ, trying his best to sing. Nevertheless, it seemed to work, because he gave me a smile and then the message faded.

Minutes later, something cold touched my shoulder.

"AAAARRRRGGGGHHHH!" I screamed, brandishing my dagger.

"Woah!" AJ's voice said. I lowered my dagger, panting in relief.

"You stupid idiot!" I yelled at him. He winced.

"Sooooooorrry…." He muttered.

There was a pregnant pause.

"I understand if you don't wanna, you know…" AJ began awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. I blushed to the roots of my hair.

"You're right, I was never there…I'm really sorry…so if you don't wanna, then I get it –"

I cut him off by smashing my lips to his.


	18. I meet my dad's sixth grade math teacher

**Yada yada yada I went on holiday and then slept in late yah yah whatever.**

**Here's another chapter – oh, I mean Chapter. Yeah. Oh, and Toni has a message at the bottom. Stick around to read it.**

AJ blinked at me. "So you _don't _hate me?" He asked uncertainly. I blushed again; sure my face was a permanent shade of red.

"I'm a teenage girl. We go through complicated emotions. That's just how it is." I responded. There was a silence.

"What happened to us, AJ?" I said dejectedly. "We never used to argue like this…" I trailed off, not sure where I was going.

I heard AJ sigh gently. I felt an arm snake around me and pull me closer. I rested my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes, for fear I would start sobbing. I was terrified enough already – though don't you _dare_ tell anyone.

"Stress." AJ said finally, his voice heavy. "Your family disappearing, Olivia and the baby, Ruben…we don't have time for each other."

A lump rose in my throat. His words were true, and as much as I wanted to scream "LIAR!" and run away, I knew deep down he was absolutely heart-breakingly right.

"Ruben?" I asked. I hadn't heard anything about AJ's brother – well, not since I last saw him at the dinner party. He was usually quite quiet and kept his head down. Until sixth grade, I hadn't even _known _AJ had a brother – but that might have been due to my lack of social skills. Whatever.

"He…he was killed in a battle. Dracaenae." His voice was tight. I didn't speak. When had this happened? Why hadn't he told me?

Oh, right. I was too busy focusing on me, myself and I to realise that my boyfriend and best friend's brother had died and he was depressed. Nope, stupid, stuck-up Toni had completely ignored that. I am a nice person.

* * *

><p>We sat in silence for a good ten minutes, neither of us knowing what to say.<p>

"Monsters." AJ said suddenly. I was just dozing off, my head in his lap. I was half-asleep and felt groggy.

"W-what?" I slurred, my speech incomprehensible.

"Monsters. In here." AJ insisted. I rolled my sleepy eyes.

"You're paranoid. C'mon, we need to get some sleep."

"No, I'm serious. Toni, get up!"

"Dude! What's your problem?"

Looking back on, I'm glad that he woke me up (though I'll _never_ admit it.) If we'd have done what sleep-deprived Toni wanted (which was to stay and sleep) then we would've been demigod bites for monsters. Instead, AJ pulled me to my feet, grabbed my hand and forced me to run. Have you ever tried to run whilst your brain and body are in a complete stupor and in desperate need of sleep? Probably not. Well I can tell you firsthand – it sucks.

We're running for our lives – AJ sprinting heroically and clutching my hand, me tripping over my own dead feet. Eventually, my brain seemed to figure it out – I needed to run so that I could stay alive (thanks, brain) and woke up my muscles, who groaned and complained but decided to work for me.

"There's a light over there. C'mon!" AJ pulled me along faster, only this time he didn't need to. I ran ahead towards the orange light. As we drew closer, we realised it was a fire.

It was abandoned – this time, a proper cave. I could hear wailing and shrieking through the cold rock walls. If we weren't in the Underworld then, we definitely were now. Pounding feet followed us. We couldn't see our attackers, just gleaming, yellow eyes. I looked around desperately. There was no exit. The only way out was the way we'd came – where the monsters were. I drew my dagger.

Then they emerged. Three monsters, each with glowing yellow eyes, hot breath and a mouth filled with fangs. Their skin was leathery and a dark reddish colour. They had talons and large, bat-like wings, and each brandished a fiery whip. The Kindly Ones.

"All three of them…"I muttered dazedly. Is it weird – I felt kinda _honoured_. Like, I've fought monsters before, but not important ones, legendary ones. I've fought telkhines and the like, maybe the occasional Dracaenae. Furies were completely out of my league. AJ pulled out his weapon, a long golden sword (his dad had it made at Camp Jupiter.) The Furies lingered in the doorway, hissing and cracking their whips.

"You take the left, I take the right?" I murmured through the side of my mouth. AJ tilted his head to the side.

"What about the middle?" he asked.

"We'll cross that bridge when it comes." I responded, and leapt.

I sliced my dagger through the air towards the Fury, causing her to hiss. She flicked her whip at me. I dodged just in time and struck a blow to her leg. It cut, but not deep enough to kill. Just as I was about to strike again, a white hot pain seared up my side. I screamed loudly, piercing and high-pitched. She'd got me. The flames from her whip were licking the tender area she'd struck. I saw AJ from the other side, battling furiously with one of the other Furies. He hadn't even noticed me.

I stood up shakily, the pain flaring as I moved. In one huge thrust, I plunged my dagger into the Fury. She let out a screech and exploded into yellow powder, all over me. I grimaced but looked over at AJ. A twin shriek echoed into the air, followed by another burst of yellow. We turned to the remaining Fury. She hissed.

"Wait!" She rasped. "I can help you on your quest, little demigods…"

I looked at AJ. He shrugged.

"Yesssss…." She said. "I knew your father," she pointed at me. Surprise surprise. _Everyone_ knows my father. "The Lord of the Dead owes him a debt…my master…"I bit my lip. If Hades had anything to do with this, I was in deep.

"I can help you reach Tartarus…" She started cawing loudly, a horrible raucous laugh. "But in return, you must do something for the Lord of the Dead…" She whispered.

I knew it. There was no way that Hades – a guy who hated me, my family, my dad and granddad in particular – would help us purely out of the "goodness" of his heart.

"What sort of deed?" AJ asked bravely. The Fury cackled again.

"That much will be revealed should you survive your harrowing fate…" She licked her lips hungrily.

I looked over at AJ once again. He mouthed, 'What choice do we have?'

I nodded. "We accept your help."

With that, she picked us up in her talons and the walls of the cave crumbled as she flew up and away.

* * *

><p><strong>Like it? Hate it? I actually like this chapter, which is weird cus I usually hate them.<strong>

**Message from Toni! (1)**

**Toni: HI. So my story has had exactly 5,184 views. And how many reviews? Less than 39. THAT. IS. STUPID. It's almost my birthday, the least you could do is review! After all, reviews are what keep me alive. Without reviews, my author who i hired to write this will stop writing. If she stops writing, I stop living.**

**Sooooo…..REVIEW!**

**It's me again now.**

**Shrek is love, shrek is life.**


	19. Can't help falling (in love) with you

AJ leant over and gripped my hand as we soared down, through endless caverns of darkness. I was already regretting it – I wasn't entirely sure I trusted this Fury, but there was no turning back now. Literally. If I said stop, I'd plunge downwards to my death. Not ideal.

We finally broke through the maze of rock and entered the Underworld – well, the visible part of it. Below us lay some kind of river – only it was much bigger. It was the size of a small ocean, filled with murky water. It didn't even look like water, more like polluted smoke curling around. Broken things drifted along with it – diplomas, photographs, and I even spotted a wedding ring. I instantly felt sad, like all of my dreams were being thrown away, like I should just dive into the river and drown myself (which is weird, because I can't drown.)

"The River Styx," I muttered in awe. AJ shook his head.

"It's disgusting." He replied. The Fury cackled and swooped over it, flying us past Cerberus, the huge black mastiff with – oh yeah – three huge slobbery heads; past the security lanes (which kinda looked like airports, but I wouldn't know since we always travel by sea. Go figure); and then suddenly we were just flying in emptiness, yet it was loud. Over to one side, I could hear piercing screams of agony, making me shudder. To the other side, laughter and chatting, filling me with some kind of warmth. I gripped AJ's hand tighter.

Below us lay a large, black cliff, like obsidian. I caught my breath. Close to us – less than fifty feet away, the cliff broke off abruptly to a large chasm

Tartarus.

I squeezed my eyes shut. Suddenly, I didn't feel so brave. I didn't feel so heroic. My brain stubbornly reminded me that I was just Toni – a fifteen year old kid with an average of D-, the troublemaker, hated by most people and with no experience whatsoever. What was I even doing here? Somebody experienced, and smart, and talented should be doing this.

Then it hit me. I didn't need to be brave, or heroic, or experienced. My family were being held captive, and their captors were probably expecting somebody who'd been on hundreds of quests to rescue them, not a one-quest wonder. I could use _that_ to my advantage.

* * *

><p>The Fury swooped lower and lower into the chasm. I couldn't see the bottom even though we were descending at wild speeds. My heart jumped into my mouth. My eyes were streaming mercilessly. My nails dug into AJ's palm like spikes. But as we got lower and lower, I came to terms with my fear. All I was doing was hiking a lift down a big pit, and then I was off to kick some butt. I'd love to tell you that the sentence you just read was absolutely, unbelievably true. Apparently not. I came to terms with the fact that the speed we're going, we're gonna splatter on impact, and if by some miracle I survived, the creatures that had my family would kill me.<p>

I felt the Fury's grip on me shift. My stomach flipped. I looked up into her scaly, wrinkled face as her eyes bore into mine.

"Did I mention…" she hissed, cackling malevolently, "That your father killed me twice…?"

Her evil eyes went slit-shaped as she let out a loud screech of triumph.

The next thing I knew, my stomach had disappeared completely and I was falling through the air, screaming as loudly as I could, feeling entirely alone and petrified.

* * *

><p>AJ's POV (I know I don't usually do this but I wanted to be different so it's only gonna be short)<p>

I clutched Toni's hand like a vice to see if I could slow her fall. Truth be told, I wanted to fall first, so at least she'd have less of a brutal landing. I know, it's cheesy. Love works like that, and I couldn't bear to see her this way. She was almost delirious – screaming at the top of her lungs, tears running down her face, angrily yelling curses at every god, goddess, nymph, demigod and titan she could possibly name, flailing her arms in the air.

"TONI!" I yelled, trying to get her attention. The wind roaring past us almost deafened me; we were speeding up. We'd hit the bottom any second. I had to act fast.

"TONI!" I screeched again, desperate. She looked up at me, her eyes round, filled with fear. She looked helpless. She didn't look like Toni. The old Toni would've masked her fear with contempt and sarcasm. This Toni, well – she was breaking my heart. She wanted _me_ to take control of things. She was stepping down from her pride. I gulped, tears threatening to surface.

I let go of her hand.

"I'M SORRY!" I tried to yell, but the wind carried it away. Her face went through multiple changes – shock, fear, betrayal.

"I'M SORRY!" I mouthed frantically. I was now falling faster than her, what with the extra weight of two backpacks. Her face suddenly cleared from her delirious state, and her mouth opened in shock as she realised what I was doing.

"NO!" I heard her yell. "AJ!" She was back to her old self, but her face still held raw terror.

She placed a tentative hand over her heart. "_I love you,_" She mouthed.

Slowly, I did the same. "_I love you too,_" I whispered back, a hand above my own heart. That was when I started crying.

* * *

><p>Aaaaaaaand back to Toni!<p>

I watched helplessly from above as AJ's body slammed into the hard, rocky surface. The loudest scream anyone has ever heard, so loud you could hear it in Manhattan, escaped from my mouth.

"AJ!"

* * *

><p><strong>This chapter is actually shitty. <strong>**How does one write****. I feel like each chapter lacks interest. This is absolute shit and I hate it.**

**Anyway, review….I'm not all enthusiastic because I know all I'm gonna get it "it's too fast" or "slow it down a bit!" or "it's too short, make it longer" so yeah. I'm in a bad mood. Girls probably know why. I have a bad case of **_**P**_**otential **_**M**_**urder **_**S**_**uspect. If you didn't get that then whatever.**


	20. I get stabbed and meet afriend

**OMG, I'm so sorry! *hits self in the face with a metal chair* I started a new school, and homework, and I'm such a slack but I'm soooo busy and I'm sorry I'll try my best please forgive meeeeeeee!**

**Moving on. I'm pretty dang sure we're gonna have a reappearance of everybody's favourite Titan…you guessed it! Kronos! I'M KIDDING. It's not Kronos. You know who it is.**

**I'm still laughing at this. The BEST review/PM I have ever received, which said something like 'As long as AJ's not dead, I'll be back to review more.' This was probably unintentional, but I found it **_**so**_** funny! I love humour and wit and this threw me so much I was laughing a **_**lot**_**. Thanks, whoever you are! (I was trying to find the review but I can't! Lol) Keep reviewing everyone! This chapter is gonna be hella long (hopefully!)**

I knelt over his limp body, my hands cradling his face.

"No. _No. NO!_" I screamed, pounding my fists on the sharp rocky ground. The wedges of black stone dug into my flesh, drawing blood, but I hardly noticed. I was focused on AJ. He wasn't moving. His vibrant blue eyes were glassy. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. I put my ear to his chest. His breathing was slow, too slow. I could tell it was strain on his lungs to keep inhaling, exhaling. Soon, they'd give up completely. An ache in my heart, I stood up, my knees trembling.

"Lord Hades!" I yelled, as loud as I could. "Spare him, please!"

My voice echoed around the chasm, sounded petrified and shaky – not really the tone I was going for. Voices whispered all around me.

"_You can't save him…just give up…he's dying…you can't save him…just give up…you won't survive…_"

They were right. AJ was slowly dying. There was nothing I could do to stop him from his fate. I needed to give up, to die, to run away…I clutched my head, my eyes squeezed shut.

"Lord Hades! Please!" I shouted frantically, practically tearing out my hair. This time, a new voice floated into my head – not evil, but mysterious.

"_You know what to do…_" it said,

I glanced at him. His mouth was slightly open. I could –

No way! I'd never performed CPR. How could I just –

The next thing I knew, I had my mouth on his, furiously pumping air into him **(I know **_**nothing**_** about CPR, sorry!) **and pressing on his chest.

I rolled over, gasping. My own breath was running out. I turned to AJ. His eyes cleared and he coughed weakly.

"If you wanted an excuse to kiss me, you could've just asked." He said, sitting up. I smacked him on the chest, half-smiling, half-crying. He lifted his arm gingerly, wincing at the sight of the sharp pieces of black glass embedded in it. I pulled him to his feet.

"Can you walk?" I whispered. It was quiet, too quiet. I felt like there should be some sort of chaos, some monsters howling, but the thick, misty, almost liquid air seemed to drown it out.

"Yeah…" AJ murmured back. He struggled for a second and then took a shaky step. It was fine.

"That traitor! She dropped us here like that, we could've died!" I fumed indignantly, staring upwards for a sign of the Fury. "OH YEAH?! JOKE'S ON YOU, FURY, WE'RE STILL ALIVE!" I yelled.

Sighing, AJ stepped towards me. He took my face in his hands and kissed me softly, effectively shutting me up. Well done AJ.

"That _probably_ wasn't the best thing to yell in the middle of a monster-infested pit of darkness, gloom, death and children's crushed dreams." AJ said. _Yeah, you're right._

"Whatever."

I swallowed nervously and took AJ's hand. He looked at me and nodded slightly in reassurance.

"Together." We said in unison.

Terrified, lost and already starving, we ventured further into the darkness of the pit of children's crushed dreams, our hands entwined, and our hearts beating to the same rhythm.

* * *

><p>I had completely lost myself. I was numb, my throat was sore, I was tired and hungry and grouchy. It was hopeless, I realised grimly, utterly hopeless. I would never find Olivia, to see if she was okay. I would never meet my niece or nephew – I'd already be dead. I'd never get to prank Luke and Dan, or have them make fun of me at prom. I'd never get to laugh at my dad weeping at my future wedding. I'd never get to apologise to mom. That hurt the most. With a heavy heart, I trudged onwards.<p>

"Stop." AJ said suddenly, jerking me back violently. I scowled at him.

"Wha –"

"Ssh!" He put a finger to his lip, shushing me. I folded my arms, deciding to focus on what AJ was telling me about rather than my stomach, which was loudly demanding for fries. Through the dim light I managed to make out what AJ was pointing at. In my starved stupor, I didn't even know what I was faced with, but I knew it was bad. I drew my dagger slowly. A group of about eight ugly demon grandmothers, hissing at us, gathered around us. I ran towards one, my dagger up, ready to slash it to bits.

"TONI, NO!" AJ hollered.

Time slowed down. I froze, but my arms were already in motion. _Arai_. Curse spirits.

Pain exploded through my chest, just above the ribs, and an invisible force threw me to the ground. Through my fuzzy eyelids, I saw blood, my blood, staining my t-shirt thickly. It felt as if a white hot iron poker had been stabbed through my flesh all the way through to the other side. I lay on the floor shakily, unable to stop tears from trickling down my cheeks.

It had never occurred to me that this was what dying was. Unbelievable, unimaginable pain tearing through me. I had done this. I had killed a monster in this way. Now I was going through what they were. It was a horrible revelation. Breathing in short, sharp pants, I blinked and tried to look at AJ. My vision was hazy, but I could still make out the shape of AJ, slashing and hacking away at the demons like a madman. I'd never seen him fight so recklessly. He was all about strategy, power, thinking fast. I was more slashy-slashy, stabby-stabby. I'd swear we were from the wrong families. But here we was, slicing like there was no tomorrow. The dull echo of shock in my ears faded away in an instant, and suddenly everything was like drums banging – loud and disorientating.

"LEAVE HER ALONE!" I could hear him yelling. "I'LL KILL YOU ALL! AAARRRGGHHH!" I'd never once heard AJ sound so angry. His voice was full of pure hatred, like he was looking at something he despised, but also with pain, like his heart was snapping in two. "_LEAVE_…TONI…a-alone…" He gasped. He was fighting…for me? _Me?_ Oh man, he was dedicated. I was useless.

Forgetting the unbearable stabbing feeling in my chest, I stumbled weakly to my feet, my legs still miraculously holding me up. Now that I was standing, I could see AJ clearly – he was covered with various cuts – some deep, some long, some shallow, all bleeding horribly. His eyes were slits and I could practically see the steam coming out of his ears. He had never looked so attractive.

I brandished my dagger, waiting for a chance to strike, but –

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH!" Something cried, louder than anything I'd ever heard. The ground beneath me shook. I stared. I was expecting some kind of demon to come and chop me to bits. What I was _not_ expecting was a nine-foot tall, grey, silver-haired titan in a janitor's outfit. Despite the situation, I grinned. Of course I knew who he was. I'd been told this story hundreds of times.

"I AM BOB! YOU WILL NOT HURT YOUNG DEMIGODS!" He held a broom in his meaty hands, and he swept it through the _arai _like he was sweeping the floor, turning them all to dust.

"Hi, Bob!" I said, smiling wanly. "I'm Toni, Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase's daughter. It's…nice to meet you."

The Titan beamed.

* * *

><p><strong>Is this long enough to satisfy you for a while whilst I cope with school? I hope so!<strong>

**Review please! I'm not good at fight scenes, so if you have any tips, let me know. **

**Toni: Reviews keep me alive. Please! SAVE MY LIFE!  
>AJ: Yeah and me!<br>Leo: Review and you ladies get to kiss me ;)**

**Toni: WTF ARE U DOIN HERE**


	21. I f-----g hate spiders

**TheSarcasticLittleB-tchYouHate****: Sh, I'll sneak him in, no one will notice ;)**

**Guest: OMG THANKS**

**In case you guys get confused, I'm a huge Halloween fan, so my pen name will be changed to Pumpkin-Spice-Latte-is-my-life until November. :)**

In one swift movement, the Titan lifted AJ and I and crushed us against him in what I guess was a hug. I winced, the pain in my chest flaring. AJ shifted gingerly, like it hurt to move.

Bob frowned. "Ow." He said sympathetically, looking first at AJ's wounds then at mine. He extended a long silver finger and touched AJ gently. As soon as his skin made contact with the wound, it began to heal up. They stopped bleeding, faded into a small scar, and then it vanished. AJ smiled uneasily, like he wasn't sure why Bob had healed him, but flexed his arms nevertheless, tensing his muscles.

_Hell yes._

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah. Bob placed a finger on my chest, humming to himself, a tune that sounded suspiciously like _Pina Coladas._

"MEOW!" Something purred, stirring from inside one of Bob's cavernous pockets. With newfound strength, I looked up and stared as I felt something soft, but surprisingly heavy, pad across my chest.

Paws. _Okay then._

Four furry legs. _Right…_

A sleek, muscular body. _Um, yeah?_

Bulbous yellow eyes and pointed ears. _Alright then._

A cat. _Ok. __**(I told you I'd sneak him in ;))**_

No, not a cat. Well, not exactly. A cat that happened to be roughly the size of a fully-grown male lion. I groaned, trying to shove it off me.

"Little help?" I asked sarcastically, my voice sounding a lot more _alive_ than it had before. AJ snorted quietly and tried to lift the creature off me.

"Small Bob! This is Small Bob! My pet!" Bob smiled, petting the cat. It yowled and stalked back into his pocket, retreating to the warmth.

"Very small," I agreed, nodding insincerely.

"Tiny." AJ murmured, cracking up.

Laughing. In the middle of Tartarus. We were laughing in literal hell. I could just imagine some evil force watching us frustratedly, thinking _no! You're supposed to be dying, not laughing! Goddamn it!_

Of course, we weren't all easy though. As we walked, protected by Bob, the muggy air slowly drained me, making me feel tired, thirsty and more importantly hungry. My legs ached, my back ached, and my eyes were stinging with the effort of keeping them open. For once, I was hoping for something to attack – yes, hoping – because at least it'd wake me up. At this rate, I'd just drop down asleep and no one would notice.

* * *

><p>The soles of my shoes began to wear out as we trudged across the murky black landscape. I felt the loose black stone cutting into the raw skin of my feet as we stumbled along. In my daze, I bumped right into Bob as he stopped abruptly, his hands out to prevent us from moving. Blearily, I peered out to see what he was protecting us from.<p>

I recoiled in horror. It was a zit or a wart, some huge bubbly blister on the floor. It looked soft, and kinda squishy, like the top of a jellyfish, and it was radiating with heat. I felt bile rise in my throat.

"Oh sweet mother of Zeus." I muttered, turning away. I retched emptily, having nothing to actually vomit out. Biting my tongue, I tentatively spun around to have another look at it. _Bad move_. Something was scrabbling at it from the inside, clawing to get out. Nauseated, I put a hand over my mouth and held my stomach.

"_Di immortales!_ What is it?" I whispered to AJ, who was staring, morbidly transfixed, at the blister.

The scrabbling became more intense. It was clearly getting angry now, thumping and thrashing like a trapped animal. My throat felt as dry as sandpaper as I tried to swallow the rest of my nausea.

Suddenly, there was a stomach-churning _schlock-POP_, and a long, hairy black leg poked itself out. Then another, then another…and then five more.

Without thinking, I tensed and grabbed AJ's hand, squeezing it maybe a little too hard. I was a complete wreck. I was shaking all over. His hand was warm and strong, unlike my own cold, shivering ones. I quivered as I tried to enunciate what the thing was – but it turned out I didn't need to. Arachne.

She arose from the blister, her face in a sickeningly-sweet smile, her white mandibles protruding from her face like daggers.

"_Well_," She purred, scuttling towards me. "It's been a long time since I met a demigod like you…" She caressed my face gently with one of her front legs and circled me. I stayed still, stiff, frozen to the spot. My mouth was set in a line.

"Your mother…" She hissed pitifully, "She sent me here…condemned to weave, with no one to appreciate the weavings…" She stroked my hair and laughed softly. Then she turned away, and pulled out something that looked like a roll of fabric. Unfurling it, I saw it was…_me._

_Perfect_ me. I didn't have that ugly red spot on the end of my nose. My teeth were straight. I didn't have freckles. My curls were less frizzy and untameable. Longer eyelashes…fuller lips… It looked so real, as it were a photograph taken with a HD camera. I could even see AJ ogling it.

"No one to see them…" She uttered again, still circling me. It was about that time that I noticed I couldn't move. The she-devil had been slowly binding me in spider-silk, an impenetrable prison. Her grin widened as a army of black shadows came out from the darkness – no, not shadows – _spiders_. They crawled under me, knocking me over, biting me, dragging me away. They were in my eyes, my ears, my nose. I tried to scream, but they just entered my mouth too. I thrashed violently and tears began leaking through my eyes as I struggled. I could see AJ, screaming, beating as many away as he could, kicking Arachne but it was no use, I was too far away.

* * *

><p><strong>Please don't kill me guys. REVIEW SO THAT TONI AND AJ LIVE GODDAMNIT GUYS!<strong>


	22. Kickin ass and sexual jokes with the bae

**I'm not even gonna apologise. New school, homework, family troubles…. I've had no motivation whatsoever. I just feel like a complete failure. Bite me.**

I'd long stopped struggling. The spiders kept crawling all over me, biting my raw flesh. Finally, they came to a stop by a huge pit. It was about as large as the island of Manhattan, and all around the top edges, jagged white rocks stuck out, like huge dirty teeth. _Oh…_

I was at the mouth of Tartarus. Literally, his mouth. I winced at the thought. I closed my eyes and said a silent prayer.

The next thing I knew, I was falling down the mouth of Tartarus.

It wasn't long until I hit the floor. I curled up in a ball, crying. Crying for AJ, crying for me, crying in pain from the bites, crying in fear from the spiders. I rocked on the floor and just cried.

"Toni? Toni, is that you?" A voice called out. I lifted my head, tears still dripping down my face.

"Toni!"

I wheeled round to the sound of the voice I was desperate to hear.

"Mom!" I yelled. Eyes stinging, I stumbled to my feet and ran towards her. Though she was still chained up, I rested my face in the crook of her neck and sobbed. She was scratched and bruised, but seemed otherwise unharmed. I stayed there for a few minutes, listening to her mumble little reassuring words.

"T-Toni, do you h-have your d-d-dagger?" Luke stuttered. I pulled away, nodding. My fingers numb, I fumbled in my pocket and pulled out the glowing bronze weapon, involuntarily glancing at my reflection in the metal. I gasped. My whole face was freckled with little lumps where the spider bites were. I touched my cheeks in horror. No wonder Luke had sounded so…uneasy? Scared?

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I began to hack at Mom's chains. Sure, they were strong – but not too strong. They hadn't been expecting me to just drop in and cut them free. They were only tight enough to make sure that they couldn't escape on their own.

Sweat beading on my forehead, the chain finally snapped and Mom surged forwards, panting heavily like it was hard to breathe. Without wasting a moment, she unsheathed her bone weapon and started to cut Dad's chains. I headed over to Luke and Dan.

"Where's Olivia?" I asked suddenly, noticing her absence. Dan looked at Luke uncertainly, who shook his head frantically. They had a silent stand-off, glaring at each other. Dan won.

Luke turned to me sympathetically, pain etched in his face. "She's just been taken away." He choked out.

I felt like a fist had punched me in the stomach. I gulped and bit my lip hard, drawing blood. "Taken?"

Before he had to speak, I heard a loud, tortured scream. I tensed immediately. There was no mistaking it. It was Olivia. I finished cutting furiously through the twin's chains when another scream filled the air.

Just as I was about to run, Mom stopped me.

"Toni. Hide behind me."

Confusedly, I did as I was told, clutching the back of her t-shirt fearfully like a toddler would. She muttered soothing words to me, but silenced quickly when heavy footsteps began to precede towards us again. I held my breath and watched. A huge, bear-like figure stamped towards us, roughly guiding Olivia back to her imprisoning chains. I sucked in a breath of horror. She had blood trickling from the side of her mouth and she was bruised and battered severely.

"WHERE IS YOUR SISTER?!" The beast roared, his face inches from hers. Her face tightened visibly.

"I won't tell you." She spat, through gritted teeth.

I felt the fingers of fear gripping me as I watched. Shivers ran up my spine. My family, they had been tortured and beaten for my whereabouts, the whole time not even knowing where I was, but relying on _me_ to save them. Creatures had abused them for weeks on end and they had not once faltered. _That_ was loyalty. I could hardly breathe.

I stepped forwards.

"Here I am, " I said, my voice sounding a lot bolder than I felt. "I'm here to save my family and kick your butts."

I saw his beady crimson eyes look me up and down a few times – and then he laughed. Full on laughing, so hard he was doubled over, grasping his stomach and wiping tears from his crusty eyes. I swallowed indignantly.

"HA! HA! You…you're Toni Jackson…you…" He started to laugh again, but finally composed himself. "Well, you don't look like much." He concluded scornfully. I narrowed my eyes.

"Looks aren't everything. I can still whip your hide." I replied. I saw Olivia suppress a small smile at that. "Why do you want me here? 'Cus if you don't mind, I'll just take my family and –"

I was slapped, hard, across the face, and drop-kicked across the floor. I skidded and groaned, winded.

"YOU DARE ADDRESS ME IN SUCH A WAY?!"

I whimpered but stood up, wincing. I cracked my knuckles and reached in my pocket for my dagger, which had somehow survived the whole time.

"This ends now. Give me my family back."

The bear-guy smiled slyly. "First, we need to talk. About why you're here, of course."

A shudder ran up my spine. I bit my lip hard, so hard it bled. The metallic taste of blood was enough to shock me back into reality.

"You are the Prophecy child. Your mother knew it all along."

Everyone turned to stare at Mom, including me. She nodded her head guiltily, not looking at anyone.

"Mom?" I asked in disbelief.

"I did. Rachel…she told me when I was pregnant with Olivia. Showed me the portrait…"

Bear-guy grinned and clapped his huge hands together delightedly. "She didn't even tell you! But why are you the prophecy child, eh? _Why?_"

I swallowed.

"Well, let's see…" He wandered over to Olivia. I tensed, but he didn't touch her.

"Granddaughter of Athena and Poseidon…though the Athena traits dominate the Poseidon ones…"He hummed to himself, walking next over to Luke and Dan. "Grandsons of Athena and Poseidon…but the Athena traits are much more inferior to the Poseidon ones. And you…"

He waltzed up to me and stood a little too close for comfort, his hand placed on my hip, breathing down my neck. I tried to wriggle away but his grip was like iron.

"Granddaughter of Athena and Poseidon…both traits equally dominate. Dangerous. Very dangerous."

My heart skipped several beats. It began to drum unevenly, causing me to feel nauseous. "D-dangerous?"

He eyed me creepily and smirked. "Doesn't matter, runt. You don't need to know, you'll be dead before you even –"

CRASH!

"LEAVE-MY-GIRLFRIEND-ALONE!" AJ screamed. "AND-HER-FAMILY!"

"DON'T KILL FRIENDS! I KILL YOU INSTEAD!"

"MEOW!"

Those three comical shouts made my fear melt away. The bear-guy stared in terror at Bob, who towered above him, wielding his ever-so lethal broom. AJ sprinted towards me and kissed me – long enough for it to get awkward for my family. When we broke off, gasping for breath, I saw Dad covering his eyes and Luke and Dan pretending to vomit. I smiled briefly.

"Time to kick some butt." I said. My family gathered around me, their weapons out and ready.

"Gods, you're sexy when you fight." AJ winked.

"Inappropriate!" Dad yelled, and charged the beast. With idiotic grins plastered on our faces, we followed suit.

**Ik Ik long chapter. In other news, Toni and AJ fluff and sexual references is always fun. Plus overprotective Percy.**

**Review.**


	23. I can't even ft uncool dads

AJ's POV (bit of a change up!)

_Di immortales, _she was beautiful.

I mean, seriously.

Scratched, bruised, freckled with bites, a hard look in her sea-foam green eyes. Beautiful.

She was at her best. Her family had been taken – despite the arguments and constant rush of angry hormones; she loved them like no tomorrow. Stealing them? Nope. She looked ready to kill and frankly, I think she was.

Uncle Percy and Aunt Annabeth stood beside each other, clutching their weapons, ready to advance. Luke and Dan were also wielding wickedly sharp, jagged knives. Next to Toni, a pregnant Olivia nervously held a bow and arrows with shaking fingers.

Rapidly, we snapped into action.

I could hardly see what I was doing; my ears were ringing with the sounds of swords clashing. Bob yelled nonsensical words whilst swishing his deadly broom in circles. Through the dim light of the bronze blades, I saw the bear-man's face, suddenly not as confident as he had been before. Toni was lunging and stabbing at him angrily, not even noticing the heap of dead spiders pooling around her feet and ankles. Olivia sensibly stayed further away, shooting arrows with greater precision that I've ever seen Apollo do (but I didn't say that, okay? Good.)

I ran towards everyone, my imperial gold _gladius _in hand, and began to lunge at the bear-man too. His eyes were wide and feral, like he hadn't expected a huge massacre attack.

Suddenly, something flew swiftly past my ear, ruffling the hairs on my head. An arrow! I watched as it pierced the thick fur of the bear-man into a spot in his chest that was definitely his heart, and the next thing I knew, we were all coated in yellow monster dust. A tense silence fell.

Toni coughed and tried to pull some of the dust out of her hair. "Disgusting." She commented casually.

We burst out laughing, the tension suddenly gone. Toni sprinted full-pelt toward Olivia and almost bowled her over in a huge hug. Elbowing each other and muttering "Gay," like the immature guys they were, Luke and Dan joined in, towering above the two girls. Of course, Uncle Percy couldn't resist, and he playfully dragged Aunt Annabeth in too. Toni smiled at me, happier than I'd ever seen her before.

"Come on in," She said, opening her arms for me. Before I knew it, I had my arms around her, enveloping her in a hug, all of us squashed together and cramped in a very claustrophobic way, smiling like a lovesick idiot.

Back to Toni now!

"Uh, so how are we supposed to escape from this literal hell-hole?" I asked. Dad clapped, startling us.

"I totally have an idea!" He burst, grinning stupidly. I groaned, cringing, and shook my head at him. He looked at me confusedly.

"What did I say?" He asked genuinely.

I groaned again. "Dad, you're not young, or cool, by saying totally. You're like, 47." I reminded him. He gasped in mock anger.

"I'll have you know young lady that I'm 42." He sassed. Can Dad's be sassy?!

Without even continuing to tell us his amazing plan, he walked up to the slow-moving puddle of a river and closed his eyes, concentrating hard. Mom smirked to herself, as if she knew what he was doing. The next thing I knew, Dad was standing atop the water, which had risen up about 3 ft off the ground, and beckoning a hand to us.

"Climb on!" He yelled. "I'll blast us to the top!"

AJ let loose a laugh, which sounded like magic to my ears.

True enough, Dad blasted us to the top.

Weird time hop to approximately 3:07pm 31st August

There were way too many people around us.

Olivia, with Harvey obviously. Luke and Dan with their current slu – I mean girlfriends, Lola and Lucy (or it might've been Lexi and Lea, I don't know.) Mom and Dad. Auntie Jason and Uncle Piper. Auntie Hazel and Uncle Frank. Even my godmother, Thalia and my godfather, Nicowith his husband Will. Friends from school. Mila and Jordan. Practically everyone else at camp.

And of course, AJ.

He looked good. But don't most hot guys looks good in chinos and polo shirts anyway? I don't wanna have to go all boy-crazy on you, but _hot damn_.

We were holding hands, staring at the huge cake in front of us. The Demeter kids had outdone themselves yet again. Blue icing, lighter on one half and decorated with clouds, the other half darker and with little bubbles. The sea and the sky. In white icing were the words '_Happy birthday AJ and Toni!'_

AJ nudged me and put his face inches from my ear.

"It says my name first because I was born 15 minutes before you." He said smugly. I shoved him, grinning.

"Shut up! We're still the same age! Besides, that means I'm younger and hotter…"

This time, AJ shoved me, pouting.

We clasped hands again, our faces flushing scarlet as the chorus of voices began to chant the happy birthday song.

We wasted no time at all blowing out the candles, and found ourselves kissing instead of cutting the cake.

As we broke apart, gasping, AJ grinned slyly.

"I'm sixteen." He said. "I'm a man now.

* * *

><p><strong>This is the end! I'm so emotional right now! I started this in Jan and now its finally done!<strong>

**They will all return in a bunch of cute drabbles tho, so PM me a couple and a scenario and I'll write it!**


End file.
